The Preserving Machine

Last night I read a truly bizarre Philip K. Dick story called "The Preserving Machine" about an academic who is worried about the fate of music in the event of global war, and so designs a machine that turns sheet music into living creatures but of course it all goes wrong.

I also watched the final two episodes of the second season of True Blood which was a great end to a really awesome season. I'm really looking forward to seeing the third season.

I went along to work today, but I only stayed in for six hours so that was pretty good. Getting to leave early. Also it is good that it's the weekend now.

Film Festival Booked

Last night I was watching an episode of the second season of True Blood on DVD. I've got two episodes left to see of the season, which has been really great.

I had the day off today in order to book my tickets for the Film Festival. I managed to get tickets for The Runaways a film about the early career of Joan Jett starring Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning, HIGH School a comedy about stoners in high school, Mr. Nice a British film about a famous real-life drug dealer, Two in the Wave a documentary about the friendship between legendary French directors Jean-Luc Godard and Francois Truffat, The People vs. George Lucas a documentary about fans of the Star Wars films and how they feel about George Lucas after all the "special edition" re-releases and the prequels, and My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done? a film telling the true story of a murderer directed by Werner Herzog and produced by David Lynch. So that should be a good selection. I might get more later, but I managed to get the ones that I really wanted to see. The website I got the tickets from was really slow and for the first ten minutes showed all the tickets as being sold out, which resulted in me unleashing a barrage of bad language at the computer. It was only a glitch though and in the end it was all fine.

The rest of the afternoon has been quiet. I went out to the corner store briefly to get milk, sugar and chocolate bars. I also read a short Philip K. Dick story called "Imposter" in which a man is surprised to be accused of being an alien robot duplicate with an armed nuclear bomb in his chest. It was pretty good.

The Defenders

Last night I was watching another episode of the second season of True Blood on DVD and read a couple of short stories by Philip K. Dick. In the first story: "The Defenders" humanity has retreated underground after a devestating atomic war leaving the rest of the war to be fought by robots however, eight years later, the humans discover the robots have developed their own ideas on how to stop the war and on who their real enemies are. The second story, "Roog", presents a dog's eye view of strange visitors in a suburban neighbourhood.

It was another quiet and uneventful day at work. The Film Festival programme was officially launched today but the site was so popular that it just kept freezing up. However, I did manage to have a look at the brochure, and I'll decide what to see by Thursday.

The Haunting of Hill House

Last night I watched another episode of the second season of True Blood on DVD. I'm a little over half way through it and I have been really enjoying this season so far.

I also finished reading the book The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. The book tells the story of a group of three people: the neurotic Eleanor, artistic Theodora and wealthy playboy Luke who are brought to the supposedly haunted mansion of Hill House by a doctor who is trying to investigate the supernatural. While they are there they experience a variety of bizarre events. The book is very well-written and intriguing, the supernatural elements are of a very ambiguous and very subtle nature. In fact the book is more about the psychology of the characters rather than supernatural horror. It was filmed twice as The Haunting in 1963 and 1999. The 1963 version is a mastepriece of horror cinema but the 1999 version is, to be honest, garbage.

I was at work today and it was another very quiet and ordinary day. I have decided to take Thursday off, and the reason for that is because on Thursday the tickets for the Film Festival go on sale, and the popular events sell out very quickly, in fact I've learned form bitter experience that if you do want anything you have to book up as quickly as possible. The programme is officially announced tomorrow. The weather was really good today and so I left work after six hours and went home.

Back home I read a short story called "Beyond Lies the Wub" by Philip K. Dick, in which humans who are travelling home from Mars bring aboard their spaceship a Martian pig-like creature called a Wub which, despite it being intelligent, peaceful and able to communicate with them, the humans are intent on killing and eating. However they learn that, when necessary, the Wub has a unique method of self-defence. It was a pretty good story.

The Bad Lieutenant

Today was another day off from work. A True Blood T-shirt that I had ordered on Monday came in the mail today so that was really good.

Later on in the morning I went up to the cinema to see The Bad Lieutenant - Port of Call: New Orleans, directed by Werner Herzog. The movie is set in New Orleans several months after Hurrican Katrina and tells the story of a police lieutenant (played by Nicolas Cage) who suffers from severe back pain after saving a prisoner from drowning. The lieutenant now has a severe drug problem and is a very reckless gambling addict, resulting in him owing the bookies thousands of dollars. Adding to his problems is the brutal murder of an entire family of five in an apparently gang related execution, a teenage witness that he has to guard, and finding someone to look after his dad's dog. The film is neither a sequel to nor a remake of the controversial 1992 Abel Ferrara film Bad Lieutenant, which starred Harvey Keitel. This one is a good movie and often darkly humerous with Nicolas Cage doing one of his best, and most unhinged performance in the title role. The film is possibly one of Herzog's most mainstream and accessible films, although it does have plenty of his unique touches, such as filming the investigation into a car crash from the point of view of an alligator. Ferrara himself was apparently furious about the idea of the film saying about the film-makers: "I wish these people die in Hell... I hope they're all in the same streetcar and it blows up." Herzog claimed that he had no idea who Ferrara is and had never seen any of his films. After the premiere Herzog said that he would like to meet Ferrara saying: "I have a feeling that if we met and talked, over a bottle of whiskey, I should add, I think we could straighten everything out." Personally I thought that both of the movies were good in their own ways. They are completely different.

On my way back i stopped off and bought a few posters for home and also the DVD of Rashomon, which should be really good.

I'm back to work tomorrow for a day and then it's the weekend.

Mr. Denton on Doomsday

Last night I listened to a radio adaptation of a Sherlock Holmes story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle called "The Blanched Soldier" in which Sherlock Holmes helps an ex-soldier track down his missing friend, while Dr. Watson is away enjoying his honeymoon. It wasn't a bad story at all. Later on I watched an episode of The Twilight Zone called "Mr. Denton on Doomsday", with the audio commentary on which featured Martin Landau (who is probably best known for playing Bela Lugosi in the film Ed Wood). It was an interesting commentary, where Landau revealed that in his early days in Hollywood he appeared in so many Westerns that he developed a very painful rash between his legs from having to sit on horseback in saddles for so much time, he also said that during the early days of television the sets were so flimsy that it was a genuine worry for actors that the sets could fall down on top of them. I always think the best audio commentaries are ones where the speakers do have genuine affection for the show or movie, but at the same time are not blind to the flaws. Later on I watched another episode of True Blood on DVD.

It was another quiet day at work today. One of the team leaders had brought in food for one of the other teams and about two tables were full of four or five pizzas, platters of sandwiches, crisps, tortilla chips, miniature sausages, scotch eggs, dips, spicy chicken, cakes and so on as well as about six large bottles of fizzy drink. Most food at work, after about an hour, looks like it has been attacked by a plague of locusts, but because there was so much there was actually still a lot left and so a few of us who were staying in a bit later managed to have a couple of platefuls each, which was nice. I've taken tomorrow and Thursday off work for no real reason, but I think it'll be nice.

It's my Dad's birthday today and he phoned me up before I left for work this morning to thank me for his present, so I'm glad that he liked it.

Blind Man's Bluff

Last night I listened to an episode of The Price of Fear on the radio called "Blind Man's Bluff" in which Vincent Price is taking a train journey when he meets a blind man who tells him about the horrific revenge that he took against his bullying lodger. I also watched a couple of episodes of the second season of True Blood on DVD. I'll have to check out the books sometime, although I have heard that they are pretty different to the show.

It was the start of another week at work, and it was pretty much another quiet and dull day.

I had been writing last night and had pretty much decided to abandon what I was writing and start again from scratch. My original version just wasn't really working.

Barbecue

Last night I was watching the latest episode of Doctor Who on TV, which I thought was pretty good, and I also watched the first couple of episodes of the second season of True Blood on DVD. So far, it looks like it will be a really good series.

Today was really hot and sunny again today. I went along to my parent's house for lunch as usual. For a change, it was warm enough to have a barbecue and we had hamburgers, sausages and chicken legs with some salad, although we had to go in for a bit when it started to rain briefly but very heavily just before we were about to have dessert. I really like barbecues, but we very rarely get a chance to have many, due to the usual bad weather.

The new issue of Fortean Times had arrived during the week, the main story was about a theatre which is supposedly haunted by a donut throwing poltergeist. When I got home I listened to an episode of Doctor Who on the radio. They have a series of Doctor Who episodes specifically made for the radio, and a lot of them are really good.

Following

Last night I was listening to another radio adaptation of a 1959 episode of The Twilight Zone called "Time Enough at Last", in which a bank clerk never has enough time to do his reading until a new type of H-bomb is detonated in his city, while he is taking his lunch break in the bank's vault, and soon finds himself with enough time to do all the reading he wants. It was probably one of the best known episodes of the TV series. I also listened to an episode of Classic Tales of Horror called "My Own True Ghost Story" by Rudyard Kipling about an Englishman who spends a terrifying night in a haunted bungalow in India.

Later on last night I watched the 1998 film Following, directed by Christopher Nolan. The film is a really low budget, black and white thriller set in London about an unemployed would-be writer (Jeremy Theobald) whose main interest in life is following random people around without their knowledge. Until one day he meets a charismatic burglar (Alex Haw) who plays psychological games with his victims, and finds himself drawn into a dark and dangerous world. The movie was shot in London over the weekends and is probably best known as the debut of Christopher Nolan, who has since gone on to be a major Hollywood director (with films such as Memento, Insomnia, Batman Begins, The Prestige, The Dark Knight and the up coming Inception). The movie has a very complex flashback structure and is kind of too tricksy for it's own good at times and a lot of the acting is enthusiastic to put it mildly, but it is still worth watching.

Today I went out to the city centre and got some wrapping paper for my dad's birthday present (it's his birthday on Tuesday) and I got the second season of True Blood on DVD and a book called Human Is? by Philip K. Dick, it's a selection of his short fiction and includes the stories that inspired the films Total Recall, Screamers, Paycheck and the up coming film The Adjustment Bureau.

Another Week Closes

Last night was pretty quiet and fairly uneventful. I was watching an episode of True Blood on DVD and that was fun. I recently got a set of three of the books by Charlaine Harris which inspired the series, although I've not started reading them yet.

On my way into work this morning I stopped off and got the latest issue of Total Film magazine. It was really pretty good, mostly previewing the new movies that are due for release in the coming year. It was a very quiet and pretty dull day at work and I am really glad that it is the weekend now.

I've recently been reading the book Fevre Dream by George R. R. Martin, which is a pretty good book so far about vampires in 19th century Louisiana.

Soundtrack

Last night was really quiet. I did some more of my writing and watched some TV.

It was the start of another week at work, and it was as dull as usual. It was nice to get back.

I didn't get the chance to watch any of the Golden Globe awards last night, but I have heard some of the results and it was pretty interesting.

I've been really enjoying listening to the True Blood soundtrack. It's all kind of country, blues and rock. My favourite kind of music is the really old kind of country and bluegrass music, although I do like a lot of different music, that's my favourite.

Endless Nights

Last night I was listening to another of the Sherlock Holmes stories on the radio. This one was called "The Retired Colourman", based on the 1926 short story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and told the story of a retired art supply dealer who enlists the aid of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson when his younger wife runs off with another man, taking a large amount of his money with them. However Holmes soon suspects that the truth is far more sinister. A 'colourman', by the way, is an old term for a man who makes or sells paint. It wasn't one of the best of them, but it was pretty good. That's the last in the series, apparently. I wish I could find those Sherlock Holmes tapes that I used to have, but I think they've gone, and I've never been able to find them either in the shops or online. It often seems to be the case that you don't even look at something for years, and then as soon as you've thrown it out you suddenly realise you want it again.

I did some more of my writing and then I watched some of the sixth season of Red Dwarf on DVD, which was really funny.

Today I went out and had a look at the shops. I got the soundtrack CD of True Blood, the movie Antichrist on DVD and the graphic novel of The Sandman: Endless Nights by Neil Gaiman. That's me got the complete set of The Sandman now! I went along to American Express to get some information about my planned holiday, but it looks like the flights will be too expensive so I might have to rethink it.

Change of Plan

Last night I was watching True Blood, it was the second to last episode of the season.

It was another really quiet day at work. There was still some food left over from yesterday. Apparently hanging out with Joe tomorrow has been cancelled, because one of his friends had suddenly remembered that he had a wedding to go to and another one just decided that they didn't want to go.

At least after tomorrow I'm off work for awhile. I'll be in work for one day a week on Tuesday, but otherwise I'll be off for two weeks.

New Boots

Last night I was watching an episode of the second season of The Wire on DVD and followed it up with an episode of True Blood on TV. I've been really enjoying True Blood, and I really hope that they show the second season sometime. I think it's been pretty popular so they probably will.

It was another quiet day at work. I was wearing my new Dr Martens boots for the first time. They fit okay but they are kind of stiff, as always with new footwear, and hopefully it won't be long before they're broken in. On my way home I bought the Christmas and New Year double issue of Radio Times magazine. I remember when I was a kid, when my parents bought that magazine it was a sure time that Christmas was on the way. We'd look through and see if there were any good movies on, my Mum would get out the decorations and start giving Dad his orders and my Dad would pretend to fall asleep in front of the TV.

Holidays Arranged

Last night I was watching the third episode of Pennies From Heaven, which was pretty good. It's a pretty interesting show, and really dark, in which the characters escape from their depressing lives in 1930s Britain through their imaginations fired by the popular songs of the period. The characters lip-syncing the songs rather than actually singing works pretty well for the show, and adds a really surreal fantasy element to it. Following that I saw the latest episode of True Blood, that is a really fun show, which I really enjoy a lot.

Today was another dull day at work. All the Christmas decorations are going up at work now. I've got my days off work booked up for Christmas. I'm off work for pretty much two weeks from the 21st, but I do have to go in to work for one day on Tuesday the 29th.

Vampire City

Last night I got to 44,094 words in the NaNoWriMo novel, Vampire City. I am on target to make the total of 50,000 words by Saturday. After I had finished I watched the latest episode of True Blood and the fourth episode of The Singing Detective on DVD. I haven't had much to write about on here recently because pretty much all I've been doing for the last couple of weeks is write, watch TV and go to work.

It was another very quiet and fairly uneventful day at work. I am looking forward to the weekend.

I do find it a lot easier to write about what I really think and feel about things when I'm writing fiction, because I tend to censor myself a lot on here, often without even realising I'm doing it. I do think it would be good to be a more open and stuff on-line, so people could get to know me a little better should they want to, but it's not really something that comes naturally to me.

Ashes of Time

I managed to write another two thousand words of my NaNoWriMo story yesterday. Last night I watched the latest episode of True Blood, which was really good. I also watched the movie Ashes of Time Redux, directed by Wong Kar-Wai. The movie was first released in 1994, but the director released a re-edited (or "redux") version last year. The film is set in medieval China and concerns a cynical swordsman (played by Leslie Cheung) who sets himself up as a hired killer after his wife leaves him to marry his brother. He is hired by a man (Brigitte Lin) to kill his sister's boyfriend, who happens to be the swordsman's best friend, on the grounds that he deserted her. However the sister (Lin again) wants to hire him to kill her brother on the grounds that he is too possessive of her. He also ends up helping two other younger swordsmen in their seperate battles against the same group of bandits. It's a really beautiful looking film which, unusually for a martial arts movie, focusses mainly on emotion and philosophy rather than action (the fight scenes are depicted almost as fast-moving blurs of sound and colour). Apparently it was a huge flop on it's first relelase and was barely released.

Today my mouth is still quite sore, and I'm still needing painkillers. Also I am absolutely sick to death of eating soup (apparently I need a "soft diet" for a week after the procedure). I did manage to go out today though and I got the movies There Will be Blood and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street on Blu-Ray DVD.

More Writing

Last night I was busy again with my NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) story. I've got up to 8,206 words now. It was kind of difficult last night and took a few hours to do.

I watched the latest episode of True Blood, which I thought was really good, and it was another really dull day at work today.

I've been so busy with the writing recently I've not actually had chance for much else this week.

More Vampires

Last night I was pretty busy. I got to 6,126 words with the NaNoWriMo story. It was kind of easier than it was last night because I had a pretty good idea what I was going to be writing about (basically this new vampire is forced to prove his worth to his vampire community by undergoing this kind of trial thing in which he is forced to undergo various surreal hallucinations and confront various powerful creatures).

Work was really quiet and dull, as it usually is. It's another episode of True Blood this evening. I'll probably be sick to death of vampires by the end of November!

Quiet Thursday

Last night I was watching another episode of True Blood, which was really enjoyable. Sometime I'll have to check out the books that the show is based on. I was also working some more on the story that I have been writing over the past couple of evenings.

It was yet another really dull and depressing day in the office as usual. I am looking forward to the weekend. NaNoWriMo starts on Sunday so that should be good.