Busy Busy Busy

Sorry about the lack of recent posts - I've got lots of stuff to say but can't seem to find the time! Stay tuned for:

Tremors 3 and 4 reviews
New Bloodhound Gang album review
Ed Wood fever!
Halloween ball!
Revenge of the Sith DVD review

Almost certainly some stuf I've forgotten as well

Rivers of Blood! ( well, water actually)

Surprisingly there has been a lot of rain here in Swansea (!), and this has created a few minor drainage problems. Two major rivers now flow through the middle of Singleton Park!

Swansea Monopoly!

Cath Finally admitted defeat

It was landing on Morgans Hotel with 2 houses that did it (£600)

Possibly repeatedly landing on my Hotels at the Dylan Thomas Centre, Cwmdonkin Park and the Gower didn't help either (£550-£600)

I own Swansea University - I assume thats legally binding?

An honourable mention for us!! On a board game!!!!

Rather cheap and tacky metal pieces that may have come out of a cracker - the only slight downside (plus no burned out car piece)

I like that way that the Salubrious Place businesses (eg Franky and Bennys, Chiquitos et al) are publicised so well 0n the chance and community chest cards! Also the cinema which hasnt been built yet and that proposed massive tower block!!! Genius.

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the dumbest of them all?

It's no wonder that cats are confused by mirrors - Lenin didn't recall ever looking that stupid before!

Make annoying sticky labels history!

How very ironic. Not that I don't support the senitiments and the cause mind you, I think I'd just be a little more aware of what I was doing!

Many Monopolies

http://www.dealtime.co.uk/xDN-toys--board_games_and_more-to_board_games_and_more_type_classic_games-price_range_20_30-30151-to_classic_game_type_monopoly~V-rows

Wow there are loads of them - particularly Wigan monopoly and Norwich monopoly. Now where is Swindon monopoly!!

Christmas Time, Missiles and whine(ing)

I hate Christmas, but the staff-student parties make it more bearable (well, drunker anyway). After the success of last year, Claire once again stepped into the void that is my graphic design talent and came up with the goods. We were so impressed even though we all know how good she is. Sadly I can't take any credit for it like I usually do!

Despite this, Claire still thinks its rubbish and she can do a lot better - and she probably can. For us mere mortals in the graphic design world, however, this is great and better than we ever could have hoped for, particularly on a short timescale. Now I'm just hoping she isn't going to start charging me £200 just to go see her ;-).

Anyway, she wouldn't let me give her credit on the poster or staff Email so I am risking her wrath by writing it here - knowing that she's gonna read it - maybe she might start to take the hint that we all think she's great, and yours truly wouldn't swap her friendship for anyone.... although if she were blonde...... ;-)

Anyway this entry is for you Claire and I can't say enough great things about you, given that you will beat me up for it probably - but its worth it!

Pleeeeease come to the party!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. - to anyone who doesn't know Claire - yes she is hot as well as talented. Isn't life unfair sometimes!

ANL - The Aftermath

Ow. Mosh pit - front, very low stage, perfect height for smacking my shins into and falling onto the stage.

WE ARE.... THE LEAGUE!

Why try and remember the set list when you can get one off the band!! It even has Animal's boot print on it! (although they did add Reck a Nowhere and We will not Remember You)

As I predicted it was an amazing gig - for a change even both the support bands were top notch.

The evening kicked off at about 8:30 (after we'd been in the pub since 1:30) with the Viva Kneivels - a band I'd seen before in the Inferno and knew to be lush. The crowd didn't really get going but they were appreciated - I thought they were ace - especially the trademark cover of Tiger Feet. They played for about 30 minutes before the Picture Frame Seduction - an Old Skool band I'd not heard of came on. I wasn't expecting much but by the end of the set I was a convert and bought a T Shirt and a CD for £7 (my T shirt was soaked and the ANL ones were £12). They were more metally than punk, but with a great edge and some good melody unusually. More when I listen to the CD better. This got the crowd going a bit, but everyone was keen for the main event.

After another short break and with little ceremony it was time, and Animal and the boys stormed onstage and with little preamble (except about not being to Cardiff for "fuckin' years") they launched into 'We Are.... ' Naturally the crowd went nuts - I was right at the front about 2' away from Animal with my arms around a couple of punks going nuts with them and getting rammed against the stage (well a 2' high structure that was a stage tonight). This was the start of things to come, as they blasted through 'For You', 'Burn 'em All' and Nowhere Man, before giving us a break with some new stuff. This was great and it gave me a chance to stand back and watch and try to reinflate my right lung which had seemingly collapsed.

The highlights of the next bit were Snowman and, obviously So What, but they also shoehorned We Will Not Remember... and Reck a Nowhere in there as well!

Another welcome break before the first encore - and it went MENTAL! Animal and the boys ripped through Woman, Animal and Streets of London at double quick and ultra-thrash speed - my neck can barely move and I am covered in bruises. Another quick break and then, for me, the best bit of the whole night - they played Fucked Up and Wasted! I'd only recently found this song on Scum and it was so catchy I'd been singing it all week. It was the perfect end to an awesome gig - and to cap it all off I shook the bassist's hand (who I'm sure I've seen before - with the Damned possibly?) and Animal's!!! And then, of course, I got the setlist. Ace.

On a different not - I also found two peoples' glasses, for which they were immensely grateful but guys - take 'em off next time! I also managed to get a guy called Al to the gig 'cos he saw my ANL jacket in the street and managed to get tickets. All in all....

FUCKIN' WICKED!

Plan 1 from Richmond Road

Cath and I watched the Tim Burton/Johnny Depp film about legendary B Movie 'Director' Ed Wood the other night. It is a work of genius and I urge everyone to see it. Depp captures the essense of Wood's character that comes across in his films to a tee, and seeing Burton's take on Wood's creative processes is perfect. Wood's freindship and dependency relationship with ailing, broke, morphine addicted star Bela Lugosi (Dracula) and his shameless attempts to shoehorn him into every film regardless of plot (also his use of totally irrelevant stock footage of WWII or stampeding wildebeast) and in any sitation is also captured well, and there is an element of sadness in Lugosi's fate. After he died during the shooting of Plan 9, a ringer was brought in who looked so unlike Lugosi (and Wood's attempt to prevent the viewer notice this was to have the new 'Lugosi' to partly conceal his face at all times with his cape (!?!) it was just ridiculous - but somehow fitted in perfectly with the rest of the plot.

The only downside is that it has made me order loads of Ed Wood films which I already know are going to be the worst films ever - perhaps even worse than Leprechaun 4, or that holy grail of crap films, Alien Intruder. To this end, Glen or Glenda?, Bride of the Monster and the all time classic Plan 9 From Outer Space are winging their ways from the US and Oz respectively (cheap DVDs). I can't wait!

I am also thinking about going to the student fancy dress party as Ed himself - I already have the moustache. Now I need a slicked back wig, movie camera, sunglasses and 40s/50s clothes.

Oh yes.... and a pink angorra sweater.... mmmmm

Idiots - updated!

Lenin has recently been going mental for the aerial cover from my radio controlled car (of which more later). She keeps pulling it off and we find it all over the house. It is highly amusing playing with her with it though as she leaps around like she used to when fish was a new idea.

Pity she's got a massive gut since the old days and she can't jump quite so high!

Roxy sticks to more lethargic pursuits more suited to her level of neural activity. Like sitting in my jacket.

...Or in the washing bag. Cretin

Claire has had an idea about making a film about them for her Graphic design project - God help us all if these two idiots are given airtime!!!

Ralph

This is Paul's sister's cat Ralph. He's a right fat ginger bastard but very friendly and evidently more tolerant that I ever gave him credit for. After a rather nice cup of tea and mince pie (in OCTOBER!!) I fasioned a little metal cowboy hat for him which seemed to stick to his head quite well. As you can see he looked well chuffed with it.

Carded Figures

Nice ROJ Anakin-flash carded Prune Face. Minor crease in bottom centre of card but not noticeable. I didn't have an Anakin Flash until now.

Bargain ESB Imperial Commander for only £40. I seem to have accidentally collected Imperial officers on ESB card! The only slight point is that the tape and gun have come away from the bubble and slipped to the other side, but this is very minor.

Last 17 loose collection finally complete!

After a 20 year hiatus I have finally gotten around to completing my loose last 17 figure collection (or loose 15 depending on your point of view). I picked up an A Wing pilot and a Lumat for £40 the pair off Ebay with all orignal accessories. Its always a bit of a risk buying off Ebay but I was well pleased when they came through and checked out. Why they did 4 sodding Ewoks out of 17 figures is beyond me.

Penblydd Hapus Sian

Cress and the now white Alan

Amy tried unsuccessfully to ignore the precious chocolate.

Sian looked terrified by Sheila's living wig. She considered stabbing it to death with the butter knife.

Kate and hubby, who came cunningly disguised as an Australian man

Alan and Rich - as Marilyn Monroe if you hadn't guessed. Terrifying.

Steve and Papa share a jape.

I didn't realise it was fancy dress until after I got there! Damn.

Happy Birthday Sian

This is possibly the scariest sight imaginable. Papa Lazaru and Alan developed Jazz hands and failed to recover. It was touch and go for a while there.

Alan, Mel and ummm.... Alan got fed up of being a minority squared.

Pink ladies they may have been - but too much pink!! It seemed to upset Ria slightly.

Mel and Ruth. I think Ruth came as the 1960s - Mel obviously came as Mickey Pierce from Only Foold & Horses!

Gemma - I imagine this was how intel techs looked in the 70s.

Jenna and Katie - very glamourous.

AT first I thought that Henry hadn'y had time to change - but I noted that he had cunningly disguised himself as a 'real' doctober by adding a note suggesting that it was 2008.

Sheila decided to come dressed as a tablecloth I think.

Sian's feather phobia came to the fore, as Martin arrived dressed as an IT salesman. Unless he came as an Arthur Miller play, in which case the outlook was bleak. (he was a Mod, in fact)

When Lord....? When do I get to see the God damn sailboat?

Work is a pain in the arse. No staff, no space, too much work and perpetually complaining students. Sometimes I wonder why I bother. I have contemplated applying for several new jobs but I am so ill-motivated that I just can't be arsed.

On the less dark side, I have shifted some of the old stock on Ebay - even a Han Endor (albeit for just 99p!)

I bet I'll get charged again by Goldfish ( Lloyds company) for only paying 4 days before the payment due date - because naturally it takes 5 days to pass money electronically from one part of a company to another! I feel a strongly worded letter of complaint coming on.

Maybe my luck will change one day and we might get some staff - but I doubt it.