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Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010
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7:54 pm - SRF update
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The first bands have been announced for next years Sweden Rock Festival. No proper headliners announced although I think Slayer might be one of them. I just wish they would announce a few more. I think some festivals are in competition this year due to the growing number of hard rock type ones.
MAGNUM (UK)
Tony & Bob. Hurrah. They were brill this year on tour and will be brill again. A band I don’t mind seeing again and again.
BACHMAN & TURNER (CAN)
The guys that when in Bachman-Turner Overdrivein the 70s brought us some great tunes like You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet, Takin' Care of Business (good video made for it later on) and Roll on Down the Highway". I’m looking forward to seeing guitarist and chief song-writer Randy Bachman and bassist Fred Turner back in action after 25 years :)
RICK SPRINGFIELD (AUS/US)
Melodic rocker with hits in the 80s with Jessie's Girl and Human Touch.
JORN (N)
The solo band of Norwegian hard rock vocalist Jørn Lande.
UNISONIC (D)
Ex-Helloween vocalist Michael Kiske finally returns to the live stage after 16 years with a band that also features Pink Cream 69 bass player Dennis Ward.
W.A.S.P. (US)
Performing songs from their first 2 albums :)
BIGELF (US)
Heavy psychedelic progressive hard-rock with front-man Damon Fox often playing his mellotron and hammond organ at the same time. Saw them recently and liked their Beatles & Pink Floyd meets Black Sabbath style a lot.
ALDO NOVA (CAN)
An AOR-hero who has created a few nice albums but has since gained greater recognition as a professional composer, creating massive hits for artists like Céline Dion and Clay Aiken.
New album out next year called ‘Too Much Sex’. Should be a good one.
STRATOVARIUS (FIN)
Finnish power metal now been going for 20 years.
FATES WARNING (US)
Pioneers in the history of prog metal band going from 1984. The SRF gig has the classic 1991 lineup. Melodic, professional and exciting metal.
D-A-D (DK)
Entertaining rock band from Denmark. I last saw them at SRF many years ago. I think I should buy more of their CDs as they are worth getting, especially if ones got ‘Bad Craziness’ on it.
SAGA (CAN)
Progressive rock band now on their twentieth album (The Human Condition).
MOTHER'S FINEST (US)
Atlanta funk/disco raw and funky hard rock.
NAZERETH (UK)
Rugged, rocky tunes with some nice bits too like ‘Love Hurts’. Will be good to hear Dan McCafferty again.
STEEL PANTHER (USA)
Cheeky boy humour glam band
Y&T (CAN)
80s classic rock band who I last saw in Sweden in 2003 and 2004.
DANZIG (US)
The metal Elvis
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES! (US)
Instigators of crossover thrash punk rap.
RATT (US)
A good band but if there’s something else on then the other thing would take priority.
SLAYER (US)
Thrash giants
PRETTY BOY FLOYD (USA)
Leather Boyz with Electric Toyz
RAVEN (UK)
NWOBHM from Newcastle
SABATON (S)
Traditional 80s metal.
ANVIL (CAN)
Steve "Lips" Kudlow and drummer Robb Reiner continuing their resurgence.
ALESTORM (UK)
Scotsmen playing folk pirate metal
current mood:  curious
current music: Desperate Housewives
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(Join the zoo)
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| Sunday, January 31st, 2010
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9:12 pm - BEST OF JANUARY 2K10
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It was very cold out but I had a birthday :)
Best CD of recent times purchased
Bon Jovi – The Circle
Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood – Live
Jonathan Coulton – Best.Concert.Ever
Creed – Full Circle
Flight Of The Conchords - I Told You I Was Freaky
Kiss – Sonic Boom
Juliette Lewis & The New Romantiques - Terra Incognita
Manowar - Thunder In The Sky
Marillion - Less Is More
Cerys Matthews - Don't Look Down (English Version)
Cerys Matthews - Plaid Edrych I Lawr (Welsh Version)
Paul McCartney - Good Evening New York City
Megadeth - Endgame
Muse – The Resistance
Pearl Jam - Backspacer
Sieges Even – Playgrounds
Sylvan - Leaving Backstage: Live At Kampnagel 2008
Steve Vai - Where The Wild Things Are
Nice ones from Bon Jovi, Creed, Jonathan Coulton, Megadeth, Pearl Jam, a really nice one from Kiss – Sonic Boom.
They’ve done it again. I wasn’t sure of the album at first as it sounds a bit futuristic at times and a bit too pianoy at others and they seem to be sound like Ultravox on occasions. But still Muse – The Resistance grew on me and now I think it’s great.
Best CD from ages past purchased
System Of A Down - System of a Down 1998
System Of A Down - Mezmerize 2005
System Of A Down - Hypnotize 2005
System Of A Down – Mezmerize because it has B.Y.O.B. and other nice songs on it.
Best best of CD purchased
You know what, McFly – Greatest Hits is actually quite good. I like that they’ve brought a Jellyfish song (Baby’s Coming Back) to the youth pop rockers.
Gig of the Month
NO. but I’ve got 2ish next month :)
Cinema film of the Month
Sherlock Holmes
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
44 Inch Chest
Ninja Assassin
The none winners are interesting in their own ways but for my admiration of the detective stories and the fun entertainment factor I’m choosing Sherlock Holmes
Best DVD bought
Sam Raimi horror (15 certificate style) at its best. I think Drag Me To Hell is brill.
DVD watched
Push
Semi-Pro
Iron Maiden: Flight 666
Wall-E
The House Bunny
I thought Wall-E was wonderful.
DVD rewatched
Plenty of laughs with The Hangover.
Book read
This decade I promise
Top purchase
Enhancing 2 peoples sleep is my half a bed (although K still needs to pay for her half)
February has 12 days at work, 1 real gig, 1 not music gig and my parents coming over to my house for dinner for the first time EVER :o
current mood:  loved
current music: Wild At Heart
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(2 Minkeys | Join the zoo)
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| Saturday, January 30th, 2010
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9:57 pm - Birthday
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I guess my birthday started off on Friday night.. no Thursday night when Kel arrived for it was our last night in the old bed.
Friday morning the new small wardrobe for the same room arrived and n the afternoon 2 guys arrived and somehow managed to get our new SuperKing bed with lovely mattress into the main bedroom.
We then attempted to attach the required bits to the bed and the 2 halves together and finally the beast of a mattress. It was fairly tough work but we survived it and managed to get a bit of a nap in before heading over to my folks.
I was expecting some kind of chickeny food but to my surprise it was lasagne night instead. But to keep a bit of tradition I did still have an Elephants Foot cake (or is it a cream puff) with a candle on top :)
I took home my 3 pressies and we had a really good sleep in the megabed. After a few more sleeps we’re glad of the purchase and not disturbing each other every hour or more, and I get to not sleep on the edge anymore :)
I opened my pressies in my big bed the next morning. I got a DVD of Drag Me To Hell and CD of The Black Crowes – Before The Frost plus another 2 which I’ve already got (Marillion & Blind Melon). I also got £20 in Boots vouchers and £30 in money.
2 years ago I had a lot of people round my house for my birthday. We had fun and games and it went very well. So seeming as I had extra help this year I decided to do it again.
So Saturday day after my yummy eggs and bacey wakey we went shopping and bought a lot of stuff; pizzas, pastries, and cakes including a monkey face bday cake :)
Between 7pm and 8pm 20 people arrived and started to eat the food which K was in charge of. After all the meet and greets I jumped onto Beatles Rock Band for a bit of drumming before having a nibble myself.
Then it was quiz time. I’ve enjoyed participating in them at other parties so decided to do one myself. This time with a theme of 23rd January 1975
( QUIZ QUESTIONS UNDER CUT )
That went well so after that I returned to an old favourite but this time with extra twists.
My game of Pass the parcel involves silly dares. When the music stops whoever is holding the parcel gets the chance to rip off the layer and gain the prize on that layer but only if they complete the randomly chosen daft thing to do.
This year I had people being mummified, doing 10 sit-ups, taking a group photo, drinking a double, eating an ice cube, saying 10 possible names for a pet fish, dancing like Michael Jackson and having 4 people create a band with air instrument.
There was also Parcel Wars where 2 people would compete over the chance to have the prize. Wars included drawing pictures, popping balloons, counting to 60 while blindfolded and abused, and yodeling.
It passed the time well and a lot of fun was had. I dread the day that anyone else decides to do one with me in the circle :o
I think by 1am the house was ours again and while I didn’t drink a load I think I had enough beer and wine to make me a sleepy boo and so up to bed I went, we went.
I think I did as little as possible on Sunday (apart from tidying up and nearly building a wardrobe) :)
2 more films have also been watched at the flick.
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll is the story of Ian Dury, or more so the story of how he affected his son and his band The Blockheads. From his occasional afterlife in a theatre appearances Ian played brilliantly by Andy Serkis tells us that this is a film with no moral. Instead it’s a good tale of rock and roll excesses and the psyche of a man with poetry in his veins who had to survive in the business with his polio disabilities. A very interesting film.
Ninja Assassin had ninjas. Lots of them. It also had an 18 certificate which meant the ninjas could be chopped up with swords. Oriental supertrained bad guys after oriental super good guy in Russia with English people (one of them being an American). It was heavy on the CGI blood and the action scenes were very fast paced (sometimes too fast). But on the whole I enjoyed what it was supposed to be. Blood and guts and ninja rolls.
current music: Secret Diary Of A Call Girl
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(Join the zoo)
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| Monday, January 25th, 2010
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7:46 pm - Where was I?
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Christmas had passed and I went back to work for a couple of nights. Then for the week after K was back up here will chilled out mostly indoors thanks to the rather dodgy weather.
For new year K drove us to a friends house where we ate, drank did a quiz created by our host (which my team won) and had a merry time and apart from when we were all young, crazy and more single it was one of the best New Years ever.
I was back to work on New Years Day. But K had stayed over and at dinnertime drove to my work with jacket potatoes and tuna mayo. As only 2 of the four people in the building we had a nice dinner in the empty canteen :)
That night I watched the last ever D.T. Dr Who and I have to say my eyes did glisten over a little bit. But now I’m looking forward to M.S. Dr Who. I’ve already accepted the change and can’t wait to see what’s waiting.
After 2 more day shifts I then had some free time. So amongst the cleaning and telly catchup I went to watch Sherlock Holmes at the cinema. I was a fan of the Holmes I had seen on TV (Jeremy Brett being my Holmes) and enjoyed some of the short stories I’ve read. With all these influences on me including Guy Ritchies other films I have to say I did enjoy it. Good performances and good settings and styles including a bit of action here and there. I can see why some might not like RDJ in the role but I liked him as the crazy genius. Quite a lot of films have to have a love interest in them and I though it was a good idea to have Irene Adler in this (who even though is only in 1 tale is still memorable) and not have it as a usual love story as such. Good entertaining fun. Looking forward to number 2.
I also went to see 44 Inch Chest at the cinema. It had a good cast including Ray Winstone, John Hurt, Ian McShane and Tom Wilkinson. Written by the same guys as Sexy Beast but in a very different vein I think. There’s still a lot of swearing and plenty of dialogue. In fact it’s really all about the script as there aren’t a lot of locations or big stunts. It’s not a patch on Sexy Beast but does have a bit of interest about it. An odd film that is nothing like a lot of people think it might be. More like a play with the record for the number of time the c word is used.
When K came up one weekend she wanted to do Body Pump at my gym, and I joined her to see what it was all about. There was only about 8 people there possible due to it being just after New Year and still being very snowy. The hour routine involved a bar with weights on it which would be lifted up either slowly or with more vigour to work various muscles around the body. Being a newbie I was quite often a step behind the others but this was ok even if on quite a few moments when not grimacing with the pain I was chuckling to myself. If I went again I might even up the weights a bit.
After that we went to play badminton with the racquet K got me for Crimbo. I want to play again soon, maybe even doubles with another couple who we know also Badmin now and then.
K is very slowly moving in. She still mainly lives and works 50 miles away but I get her on occasional Tuesdays, Sundays, weekends and random other days. She has suggestions on things to change and I’ve agreed to everything so far including some nice gothic art in the livingroom and the moving of a CD cabinet downstairs to incorporate my old bed and a new wardrobe in the 2nd bedroom. She’s also added a good solid kitchen table and chairs, a blender (for fruity smoothies) and various other little bits.
One thing we’ve bought together is a new bed. A SUPER KING size (6’ x 6’6”) beast that just about fits in the bedroom. The size together with the memory foam means that we are having the best nights sleep. We can’ always even tell anymore when the other gets up. We’ve not had it long but I’m hoping it does us some real good.
Something which can now occur is having guests in the 2nd bedroom. K’s sister was the last to stay in there on the old small sofa bed thing. She popped up on a Friday and we went to TGI Fridays and then as it was a bit nippy we went back home and chilled out. On the Saturday we were going to show her Bestwood Lodge but it was too rainy. But with what were doing to the house she and possibly others would possible feel more welcome at Chez Baggy.
It wasn’t until the 12th that I realised that I had missed 3 binary dates already (01/01/10 - 10/01/10 - 11/01/10). But I’m not worried as I’ve 6 more to look forward to the rest of the year (starting on 01/10/10).
We’ve been trying to think of better food lately, something more healthy. We don’t do too bad but it’s good to learn more. My most recent thing is making my own chips using potatoes that are cut, boiled and then oven cooked in some light spray. Lovely :)
Then it was my birthday ...
current mood:  optimistic
current music: Being Human
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(Join the zoo)
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| Saturday, January 23rd, 2010
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7:48 am - 35 :o
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35
Alles Gute zum Geburtstag zu mir
(I’ve been soo busy lately. Something of an update coming in a few days maybe)
current mood:  content
current music: Silence - I stuck downstairs to write this and will now sneak back
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(4 Minkeys | Join the zoo)
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| Tuesday, January 5th, 2010
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11:24 am - BEST OF THE NOUGHTIES 2000-2009
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Everything has happened. Some good, some less good. But all have moulded me and brought me where I am today which is just the right place.
Choosing the best of a decade is of course a difficult thing. There are far too many things listed and I shall try and reduce them… but if I start crying at the thought of having to delete something then I might just say feck it and leave it in :)
Best CD of recent times purchased
I.Q. The Seventh House / Shadow Gallery – Legacy / Spock’s Beard – Snow
Dream Theater – 6 Degrees Of Inner Turbulence / Slyvan – Artificial Paradise
A.C.T. – Last Epic / I.Q. – Dark Matter / Ayreon – The Human Equation
Nightwish – Once / The Flower Kings – Adam & Eve / Blackfield – Blackfield
Neal Morse – One / Neal Morse – Testimony / Within Tempation - The Silent Force
Redemption - The Fullness Of Time / Neal Morse - ? / Edguy – Rocket Ride
Gogol Bordello - Gypsy Punks Underdog World Strike / The Tangent - A Place In The Queue
Magenta – Home / Frost – Milliontown / Pagan’s Mind - Enigmatic Calling
Blind Guardian – A Twist in the Myth / I’m From Barcelona – Let Me Introduce My Friends
Redemption - The Origins Of Ruin / Ritual - The Hemulic Voluntary Band
Eagles – Long Road Out Of Eden / Circus Maximus – Isolate
Tobias Sammet's Avantasia - The Scarecrow / Extreme - Saudades De Rock
Whitesnake - Good To Be Bad / RPWL - The RPWL Experience
Journey – Revelations / Living Colour - The Chair In The Doorway
Madness - The Liberty of Norton Folgate / Foreigner – Can’t Slow Down
Shadow Gallery – Digital Ghosts
Good one from the new prog kings Spock’s Beard – V, The Flower Kings - Space Revolver, Transatlantic – Bridge Across Forever, Magenta – Revolutions and also some new pop rock bands The Zutons - Tired Of Hanging Around, The Feeling - Twelve Stops And Home. Muse – Black Holes & Revelations & Threshold - Dead Reckoning are good too.
Memorable albums also from Shadow Gallery – Room V and Rush – Snakes & Arrows.
DT have been getting better and better recently especially with
Dream Theater – Train Of Thought
Dream Theater - Systematic Chaos
Dream Theater - Black Clouds & Silver Linings
But it’s the one I got right back at the beginning of the decade that I like the most.
Dream Theater – Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From A Memory
And the top spot might just have to go to
YES – Magnification - Not the best Yes album but the only one they released this decade. Although it does have some cracking tunes on it like Magnification, Spirit of Survival, Give Love Each Day, Dreamtime, In The Presence Of and a nice orchestral score which replaced the usual keyboards.
Best CD from ages past purchased
George Harrison - All Things Must Pass / David Bowie – Hunky Dory
Aphrodite’s Child – 666 / Muse – The Origin Of Symmetry
I Love You – All Of Us / Nick Drake - Pink Moon / Klaatu – Klaatu / Hope
Buce Dickinson – Balls To Picasso / Shadow Gallery – Shadow Gallery
Klaatu - Sir Army Suit/Endangered Species / Slaughter - Stick It To Ya
Trevor Rabin – Can’t Look Away / Klaatu - Sir Army Suit/Endangered Species.
Four Horsemen - Nobody Said It Was Easy / Del Amitri - Change Everything
Del Amitri - Waking Hours / Barclay James Harvest - Octoberon
Black Crowes - Shake Yer Money Maker / Bread - Lost Without Your Love
Lou Reed – Berlin / Graham Nash - Songs for Survivors
Spin Doctors - Pocketfull Of Kyptonite / 10cc - How Dare You / Bryan Adams – Reckless
Crowded House – Woodface / Nash Graham - Songs for Beginners
Eric Martin - I'm Only Fooling Myself / Alice Cooper - Billion Dollar Babies
How tough? Very tough.
Best 60s - Beatles – Revolver
Best AOR rock - Journey – Escape
Best Classic - Slade - In Flame (Deep Purple – Burn, Slade - Old New Borrowed Blue, Tom Petty – Full Moon Fever, AC/DC - Back In Black, Wings - Venus And Mars)
Best easy listening - Billy Joel - Piano Man (Paul Simon – Graceland)
Best metal – Pantera - Vulgar Display Of Power (Manowar - Fighting The World)
Best Rock - Faith No More – The Real Thing (Tesla - The Great Radio Controversy)
Best Prog - E.L.P. - Brain Salad Surgery (I.Q. – Subterranea)
Best best of CD purchased
The Monkees- The Definite Monkees / 5 CD Yes box set
Crosby, Stills & Nash – Carry On / Phil Collins – Hits
Rory Gallagher – Big Guns: The Very Best Of / Supertramp - Retrospectable: The Anthology
The Faces – Good Boys…When They're Asleep – The Best Of / Shadow Gallery - Prime Cuts)
FM – Only The Strong / Skunk Anansie - Smashes And Trashes 1995-09
Nearly there were Alice Cooper - The Life And Crimes Of Alice Cooper, John Lennon - Working Class Hero - The Definitive Collection, Bob Marley – Legend, Dream Theater - Greatest Hit (... & 21 Other Pretty Cool Songs) – (at this position as I ould choose different ones).
Top 10
The Eagles – Complete Greatest Hits
Foreigner – The Definitive Collection
Slade - The Slade Box: A 4CD Anthology 1969-1991
Jellyfish - Best!
Journey - The Essential Journey
John Fogerty - The Long Road Home
Beatles - Red
Beatles - Blue
Madness – Divine Madness
Beatles – 1
Gig of the decade
Comedy
The Mighty Boosh
Just The Tonic (Alan Carr, Stuart Lee, Sean Lock)
Just The Tonic (Daniel Kitson, Rob Rouse)
Dara O’Briain
Frank Sidebottom/Charlie Chuck
Dylan Moran
Jimmy Carr
Russell Howard
Rob Brydon
Ross Noble
The quickwitted Dara O’Briain
Theater
Steptoe & Son: Murder At Oil Drum Lane
Holmes and the Ripper
Hound Of The Baskervilles was very nicely done but Little Shop Of Horrors had a bit more fun about it, and a talking/singing plant.
Music
The Monkees / I.Q. / Sweden Rock Festival (Whitesnake / Yes)
Dream Theater / Magenta / Eric Clapton
Yes / Nightwish / The Flower Kings
Whitesnake / Nightwish / Spin Doctors
Nick Drake (played by Keith James) / Fish / Greg Lake
Styx / Anthrax / The Zutons
Magenta / SRF (Journey, The Sweet, Sensational Alex Harvey Band) / Billy Joel
Whitesnake / The Rolling Stones / Moody Blues
Tom Jones / Anderson Wakeman / Frost
Muse / The Feeling / Journey
Magenta / The Who / Smokey Robinson
I’m From Barcelona / Rush / Love/Hate
REO Speedwagon / Thunder / Rick Astley
Asia / Lou Reed (performing Berlin) / Frost* + Magenta
Austrialian Pink Floyd – The Wall / Magnum
SRF – Hysterica / The Outlaws / H.E.A.T. / ZZ Top / Over The Rainbow / Neal Morse / Foreigner / Journey / Dream Theater
All Sweden Rock Festivals have been good and other good ones where I saw them for the first time were Rush, Madness, Gogol Bordello (for pure crazy small club anarchy), The Doors (I was 3 feet away from Robby Krieger),The Police, Roger Waters,Asia (remormation of the classic lineup) and Journey (although all 3 of the vocalists they’ve had these last few years have been good.
BEST of the best:-
AC/DC
Dream Theatre / Spock's Beard – metropolis @ Rock City
Dream Theater – 2 nights in London for 6 degrees (+ number of The Beast album played)
Peter Gabriel – Great songs that matched the ingenious in the round stage set.
Paul McCartney – Beatles/Wings/Macca. Pure class.
Yes - My first Yes gig
Yes – Symphonic Yes with a full orchestra. I didn’t get gates of Delerium but did get ‘Ritual (Nous sommes du soleil)’ which got my eyes all watery.
Cinema film of the Decade
Shrek / Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back / A Hard Days Night
Monster Inc / Blade II / DareDevil
The Ring / X-Men 2 / Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines
Pirates Of The Caribbean / Peter Pan / Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
Kill Bill Vol. 2 / Spider-Man 2 / Saw
Kung Fu Hustle / The Descent / Serenity
Night Watch (Nochnoy Dozor) / The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe
Lady In The Water / Children Of Men / The Last King Of Scotland
Die Hard 4.0 / Transformers / 30 Days Of Night
Dnevnoi Dozor (Day Watch) / The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian / Wanted
The Forbidden Kingdom / Tropic Thunder / Underworld 3: Rise of the Lycans
I’m sure I must have seen Lord Of The Rings: Followship Of The Ring in 2000 but maybe my cinema list keeping wasn’t up to scratch then.
Best are Spiderman, Kill Bill Vol 1
Pans Labyrinth (El Laberinto del Fauno)
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Watchmen
Star Trek XI
Lord Of The Rings
Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers
Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King
Hot Fuzz
Shaun Of The Dead - I kept thinking how the other films have all these big budgets and special effects and more importantly some story to match, but SOTD manages it without the Hollywood budget and blue/green screen. Sometimes Hot Fuzz overtakes the fave position but at this moment of writing it’s the zombies :)
Film on TV
Sleepy Hollow / South Park / Dogma
The Big Lebowski / Wild Things / Pay It Forward
Unbreakable / Shadow Of The Vampire / The Devil’s Backbone
The Life Of David Gale / Man On The Moon / Chaplin
May / Oldboy / Brotherhood (Taegukgi hwinalrimyeo)
Chocolat / Tenacious D: The Pick Of Destiny / The Spongebob Squarepants Movie
The Thing / In Bruges / Taken
Top 10:
The Shawshank Redemption
The Green Mile
Bicentennial Man
Perfume: The Story Of A Murderer
Spirited Away (Sen To Chihirono Kamikakushi)
Snakes On A Plane
Alien Vs Predator
Matrix
Anchorman
Night Breed - Tough to choose but I tried to go with what I could easily watch again at any time and it seems I like Clive Baker’s monsters.
Rewatched Film on TV
Men In Black / Sleepy Hollow / (National Lampoons) European Vacation
The Matrix / Phenomenon / The Man Who Knew Too Little
Stir Of Echoes / Regeneration / Toy Story 2
Being John Malchovich / Videodrome / Galaxy Quest
Ali-G In Da House / Dodgeball / Oldboy
Sin City / Hellboy / Crank
The Matrix
Total Recall
Mystery Men
Bound
Predator 2
Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure
The Chronicles Of Riddick
Shaun Of The Dead again me thinks
Best DVD bought
Music DVD
Yes: Keys To Ascension
Led Zeppelin - The Song Remains The Same
Deep Purple : In Concert With The London Symphony Orchestra
Yes – Symphonic Live
Beatles – Anthology
Sweden Rock Festival 2005
Slade: The Very Best Of
Sweden Rock Festival 8-10 Juni 2006 Sölvesborg Live!
Magenta – The Gathering
A joint win for Peter Gabriel – Growing Up: Live and Yes – Symphonic Live
Best TV series DVD
The Smell Of Reeves And Mortimer Series One Red & Blue
Father Ted
Spaced – Series 1 & 2
The Smell Of Reeves & Mortimer: The Complete Collection
Battlestar Galactica
Lexx
Catterick
The mighty Father Ted, my fave sitcom ever probbaly
movie DVD
This Is Spinal Tap / The Frighteners / Murder By Death
Battle Royale / Transformers: The Movie / X-Men 2
Kill Bill / Kill Bill 2 / The Goonies
Spider-Man 2 / Blues Brothers / The Rock
Spirited Away / Amelie (Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain)
Sin City / Kung Fu Hustle / Phantasm 1-4 big ball box set
National Lampoon Vacation Box Set / Man On The Moon
Wayne’s World 1 & 2 / Serenity / Fifth Element
Muppets From Space / Memento
The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe
Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind / Sexy Beast / Dnevnoi Dozor (Day Watch)
Excalibur / Apocalypse Now / X-Men
Monsters Inc / Back To The Future Trilogy
The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring
Big Trouble In Little China / Lord Of The Rings 2: The 2 Towers
Happy Gilmour / There’s Something About Mary
From Dusk Till Dawn / Evil Dead 1/2/3
Ghostbusters / Bubba Ho-Tep / Flash Gordon
Night Watch (aka: Nochnoi Dozor) / Black Sheep
Arrrrggghh
Dark City
Ravenous
Hot Fuzz
Pan's Labyrinth
The Dark Knight
Star Trek XI
As good as Shaun Of The Dead is my box sets are lovely:
Lord of the Rings: Trilogy: Special Extended DVD Edition (12 Discs)
And Star Trek Box set - Khaaaaaan
Video Film or DVD watched
Duece Bigalow / X-Men / The Opposite Of Sex
Memento / A Hard Days Night / Donnie Darko
Battle Royale / Final Destination 2 / Mystery Men
Peter Gabriel / Amelie / Shallow Grave
The Opposite Of Sex / Dawn Of The Dead / Tears Of The Sun
40 Year Old Virgin / Bride Of Chucky / Click
Bad Santa / The Machinist / The Prestige
Black Sheep / Zombie Honeymoon / 28 Weeks Later
Primer / Changling / Crank 2: High Voltage
Yes I started the decade watching videos :o but the best were probably
Happy Gilmour
V For Vendetta
Monster’s Vs Aliens
Ice Age 3: Dawn of The Dinosaurs
Bound
Ravenous – because I show it to everyone and they like it
DVD rewatched
Waynes World 2 / Armageddon / Equilibrium
Battle Royale 2: Requiem / Terminator 3 / Stripes
Serenity / 300 / Die Hard 4.0
Transformers / Donnie Darko / Airplane!
Crank 2: High Voltage / Doghouse / Tropic Thunder
The Forbidden Kingdom / Doghouse
Bill And Ted’s Excellent Adventure
The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring
Kill Bill Vol. 1
Terminator 2
Happy Gilmour
Kill Bill
Seed Of Chucky
Anchorman
Pulp Fiction
Hot Fuzz
Superbad
Watchmen
The Dark Knight
Iron Man Star Trek XI
Ravenous - because I’m in a hurry to get ready to go out :)
Book bought
Wavy Gravy – Something Good For A Change: Chance Random Notes On Peace Thru Living
Douglas Adams - Mostly Brilliant Box Set
Daisy Goodwin - 101 Poems That Could Save Your Life
The Great Rock Discography
Motley Crue – The Dirt
Piers Anthony - For Love Of Evil
Noddy Holder – Who’s Crazzee Now?
Dawn Porter - Diaries of an Internet Lover
Marco Polo – The Travels Of Marco Polo
Sean Thomas - Millions of Women Are Waiting to Meet You: A Story of Life, Love and Internet Dating
Piers Anthony - Under A Velvet Cloak
It was more a gift than something I bought but I like I have the Wavy Gravy book as it reminds me of a friend. But even though I haven’t got round to reading them yet I’m quite pleased I have waiting for me copies of
Motley Crue – The Dirt and Noddy Holder – Who’s Crazzee Now?.
Book read
R.L. Stevenson - Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde And Other Stories
Jules Verne - From Earth To The Moon And A Trip Round It
Daisy Goodwin - 101 Poems That Could Save Your Life
Carl Hiaasen - Lucky You
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes
Jules Verne - 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea
HP Lovecraft – Omnibus Volume One
Sean Thomas - Millions of Women Are Waiting to Meet You
Wavy Gravy – Something Good For A Change: Random Notes On Peace Through Living is an uplifting read and Bram Stoker - Dracula was a little bit different as to what I (and most people probably) was expecting. HP Lovecraft’s other volumes definitely need a look decade but after buying them cheaply from a book shop long ago I was finally forced to read the Lord Of The Rings trilogy and thoroughly enjoyed them
Lord Of The Rings: Fellowship Of The Rings
Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers
Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King
Top purchase
PC / Beatles picture / 1st credit card
new glasses / Mobile phone / Fancy pants
Mouse with no tail or ball / mobile phone / Yes framed gold disc
Broadband internet / 1GB MP3/WMA Player
Light Sabre / Kitchen / Phone
Kitchen Floor / Washer/Dryer / bathroom
Light reactive prescription glasses/sunglasses / Mirrored prescription sunglasses
DVD Recorder with Hard Drive / gym membership
The items most precious to me are below. Although they all have their place in creating a good life for me.
Sky+ gives me the simple pleasure of telly watching on my Panasonic 42" PLASMA TV whenever I’m ready.
My house gives me somewhere to sit while doing it
Tom Tom Sat Nav gets me to the great gigs and my Ford Fiesta Ghia ’07 gets me to them.
My HTC hero is now used more than my PC but it was on my Laptop where I did most of the work involved to get a lovely lady into my life. It’s been a long slog but I’ve finally done it. It was worth the wait :)
The Tenties have about 1800 days at work, 100 gigs and a lot lot lot of changes I would imagine :)
current mood: good
current music: Kill It, Cook It, Eat It
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(7 Minkeys | Join the zoo)
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| Thursday, December 31st, 2009
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6:50 pm - TOCK!
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Ah feck it no time to post my big 'orrible post of the decade today. Mainly because on this last day of the decade Kel & I went for tea hot choccy and biscuits at our local statley type home lodge thing and then for a McDonalds and more walking.
Now no time for anything but to say HAPPY NEW YEAR and please excuse the big list coming tomorrow night.
Love to you all
Baggy
x
current mood:  rushed
current music: Europe - The Final Countdown
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(2 Minkeys | Join the zoo)
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10:45 am - BEST OF 2009
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I started off getting old and getting old then proved it by parts of me breaking in the cold weather. But then I dressed like a pirate and had a brilliant holiday in New York & Massachusetts.
All that time I was writing and texting a lady who has now become my lovely :) I spent the rest of the year going to gigs and other little adventures with Kel in Sweden, London , Nottingham, Wolverhampton, Liverpool, Wales. I also wrote (and plagiarized) a brill best man’s speech for a wedding but then also got quite ill for a few days afterwards.
A few more parties and nice days scattered around culminating in a lovely Crimbo.
Not only has it been a good personal year but also a good year for music and film, so good that picking the best was very tough in places.
Best CD of recent times purchased
Frost - Experiments In Mass Appeal
Magenta - Metamorphosis
Metallica - Death Magnetic
Caamora – She
AC/DC – Black Ice
Flower Kings - The Sum Of No Evil
Neal Morse - Sola Scriptura
Hysterica – Metal War
Neal Morse - Lifeline
Duke Special - I Never Thought This Day Would Come
Madness - The Liberty of Norton Folgate
Dream Theater - Black Clouds & Silver Linings
Roger Joseph Manning Jr. - Catnip Dynamite
Leverage - Circus Colossus
Brother Firetribe - Heart Full Of Fire
Jimi Jamison - Crossroads Moment
Poodles - Clash Of The Elements
Alice In Chains - Black Gives Way To Blue
The Answer – Everyday Demons
WASP - Babylon
Living Colour - The Chair In The Doorway
Foreigner – Can’t Slow Down
Shadow Gallery – Digital Ghosts
I thought the progs (Frost, Magenta, FlowerKings) would have it and I think if I gave them a good listen again they just might. But the other day I quickly went through the bests to see what instantly hit.
Just out of the top 5 are: Brother Firetribe - Heart Full Of Fire, Caamora – She, Leverage - Circus Colossus, Hysterica – Metal War, Poodles - Clash Of The Elements, Alice In Chains - Black Gives Way To Blue, AC/DC – Black Ice.
Top 5:
5 - Living Colour - The Chair In The Doorway (good mix of styles)
4 - Madness - The Liberty of Norton Folgate (surprisingly catchy tunes)
3 - Foreigner – Can’t Slow Down (An old feeling mixed with a new energy)
2 - Shadow Gallery – Digital Ghosts (6th album in 17 years. Great musicianship)
1 - Dream Theater - Black Clouds & Silver Linings is superb. Strong progressive metal with great riffs and melody. A good round prog package.
Best CD from ages past purchased
Gilby Clark - Pawn Shop Guitars
Alice Cooper - Muscle Of Love
Alice Cooper - Billion Dollar Babies
King's X - Out of the Silent Planet
Nash Graham - Songs for Beginners & Earth & Sky
Crowded House - Woodface
Chain - .exe
Queen - The Works
Jack Foster III – Raptorgnosis
Demons & Wizards – Touched by The Crimson King
Eric Martin - I'm Only Fooling Myself
Eric Martin - Eric Martin
Mind Odyssey - Schizophenia
Roger Joseph Manning Jr. - The Land Of Pure Imagination
Survivor - When Seconds Count
Survivor - Too Hot to Sleep
Survivor - Reach
Jimi Jamison – Empires
Bigelf - Closer To Doom
Drive, She Said - Real Life
Bigelf – Hex
Sad Café – Façades
Top 4:
4 - Crowded House – Woodface 1991
3 - Nash Graham - Songs for Beginners 1971
2 - Eric Martin - I'm Only Fooling Myself 1987
1 - Alice Cooper - Billion Dollar Babies 1973 Loads of great songs and I could list them all but for now I’ll just say Hello Hooray, Billion Dollar Babies, Unfinished Sweet and Generation Landslide.
Best best of CD purchased
The Cardigans - Best Of
Parallel Or 90 Degrees - A Can Of Worms
The Babys - Anthology
Queensrÿche - Sign Of The Times: The Best Of
The Outlaws – Green Grass and High Tides
John Waite – The Essential
The Georgia Satellites - Let It Rock: Best Of
Münchener Freiheit – Hit Collection
Miller Steve Band – Best Of
Legs Diamond – Favourites Vol 1
FM – Only The Strong
Crown Of Thorns - Crown Jewels
Foo Fighters - Greatest Hits 94-09
Skunk Anansie - Smashes And Trashes 1995-09
Bruce Springsteen - Greatest Hits
A double mention for John Waite solo and with The Babys.
Queensrÿche is also good but I would choose other songs personally.
FM – Only The Strong is very nice but Skunk Anansie - Smashes And Trashes (1995-09) is fairly unique and reminds me of my youth more.
Gig of the year
Best theatre - Little Shop Of Horrors
Best trickery - Derren Brown
Best comedy -
The Mighty Boosh
Rob Brydon
Ross Noble
Just The Tonic (Especially Tim Vine)
Jimmy Carr
Ross Noble was mostly improvised and was a hoot but there’s something about the occasionally old fashioned banter of Rob Brydon that I preferred.
Best music –
Tyketto
Frost* + Magenta
Lordi
Metallica
The Allman Brothers Band (in New York)
Steve Stienman - Bat Out Of Hell The Symphony
David Byrne
Austrialian Pink Floyd – The Wall
Stratovarious
Bob Catley
Z Rock (John Waite / Wig Wam)
Tina Turner because she’s a legend.
Sweden Rock Festival
Neil Young
AC/DC
Thunder
AC/DC cover band LiveWire
BigElf
Firefest - Heat, The Poodles, Drive She Said, Romeo’s Daughter and F.M..
Magnum who moved me the most this time.
Skin
It was good to finally get to see the legends that are Metallica, David Byrne, John Waite, Tina Turner and Neil Young. The AC/DC cover band LiveWire were good too.
Top 5
5 - Frost* + Magenta
4 - Austrialian Pink Floyd perform The Wall
3 - Magnum
2 – Sweden Rock Festival – Even though it rained there were memorable performances from Hysterica / H.E.A.T. / ZZ Top / Over The Rainbow / Neal Morse / Foreigner / Journey / Dream Theater
1 - AC/DC – Great because it was a nice London trip with Kel and the open topped Wembley venue and summer night were just right for a package of pure rock and roll and eating pizza in our underwear at the hotel ;)
Cinema film of the Month
Yes Man
Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel
Terminator Salvation
Moon
Inglorious Basterds
Surrogates
9
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
The Decent: Part 2
Avatar
I have or will be getting Underworld 3: Rise of the Lycans, Drag Me To Hell, Doghouse, District 9, Zombieland on DVD and I saw Avatar yesterday and that was pretty cool. We’ve come a long way since Roger Rabbit. I couldn’t even figure out if the grass in some scenes was real or animated.
But the 3 for me at this moment are
The Hangover - Funny
Watchmen – an amazing piece of work
Star Trek XI – Glorious fun and the kick start of one of the best sci-fi franchises ever.
Film on TV
Venus – Peter O’Toole = Old pervy Legend
The Lake House
The Darjeeling Limited
The Edukators (Die Fetten Jahre sind vorbei)
Snow Cake
National Treasure: Book Of Secrets
Man Of The Year
St Trinians
Hot Rod
Australia
Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist
The Spiderwick Chronicles
In Bruges
Wilderness
Boat Trip
Butterfly On A Wheel
Deception
The Love Guru
Forgetting Sarah Marshall was the funniest comedy
Death Note & Death Note: The Last Name were the best foreign
Taken was the best action
In Bruges was the best all round assassins in Belguim dark witted violent crime caper.
Reatched Film on TV
The New Guy
Spartan
Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed
Shaun Of The Dead
The Animal
Help
Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure!
Sinbad And The Eye Of The Tiger
Crank
Afterhours
Saw III
Get Smart
Shaun Of The Dead still makes me feel good.
Best DVD bought
Black Sheep
The Dark Knight
Last Action Hero
Cube
Saw V
Star Trek XI
Doghouse
The Hangover
Inglorious Basterds
Wolverine (X-Men Origins)
The Dark Knight is just behind Star Trek XI
DVD watched
Slumdog Millionaire
Defiance
No Country For Old Men
Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay
Little Miss Sunshine
Wolverine
Hancock
The Heartbreak Kid
Meet Dave
Penelope
Last House On The Left
Gran Torino
Feintheart
Midnight Meat Train
My Best Friend’s Girl
Stepbrothers
G.I. Joe
Surrogates
The Day the Earth Stood Still
The Thaw
Mirrors
The Box
Anvil was a nice rocdoc, Basketcase was crazy, Outlander had Vikings and alien beasties, Monster’s Vs Aliens is now possibly my 2nd fave pixar, Crank 2: High Voltage was wild and Ice Age 3: Dawn of The Dinosaurs had a bit of everything but it was Simon Pegg who made it for me.
DVD rewatched
The Forbidden Kingdom
Tropic Thunder
Underworld
Quarantine
Cube
Zack & Miri Make A Porno
Crank 2: High Voltage
Doghouse
The Hangover
Wolverine
Ravenous is still a film I try and show everyone but Watchmen is a modern day epic and Star Trek XI is the film of the year.
Book read
Dawn Porter - Diaries of an Internet Lover
I connected more with Sean Thomas - Millions of Women Are Waiting to Meet You maybe because it’s written from a man’s point, maybe because it had a little more humour, maybe because 1 or to of the things he wrote did remind me of people I knew or brief events in my life.
Top purchase
Grill pan
I ♥ NY T-shirt and my NYPD T-shirt too
Chicken fillets I cooked for Kel
New wireless router
Cutlery
The Trekking Trousers extra pockets come in very useful.
The Rock Band instruments have provided me with smiles, just a pity I don’t always have time to play them.
The pizza after AC/DC was nice as we were hungry and hot and ate it dressed in our underwear :)~
The blue bath robe and swimming shorts that Kel got me pre-Crimbo for my holiday came in very useful too.
The co-bought set of 5 kitchen knifes is nice as it’s one of the first things we got together and both use (as well as the cutlery set).
While not something fully physical the gym membership gets me physical, or at least will when I go back after new years.
My new phone, the HTC hero was a little tricky at first and still has things on it I can’t do, but now I know I can use it also as a mini computer and keep track of you guys while on the go.
2010 has possibly 130 days at work, a possible slight change of work activities, only 4 gigs so far plus a 4 day festival, 3 holidays and good good times.
current mood:  excited
current music: The Biggest User Australia
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(2 Minkeys | Join the zoo)
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| Tuesday, December 29th, 2009
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8:52 pm - BEST OF DECEMBER 2K9
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Wales. Meals with family, my (our) friends, her friends. Crimbo. Fun.
Best CD of recent times purchased
Chickenfoot - Chickenfoot
Jarvis Cocker - Further Complications
Newton Faulkner - Rebuilt By Humans
Foreigner – Can’t Slow Down
Leaves' Eyes – Njord
Arjen Lucassen's Guilt Machine - On This Perfect Day
Lynch Mob - Smoke And Mirrors
Lynyrd Skynyrd - God & Guns
Seven Day Hunt - File This Dream
Shadow Gallery – Digital Ghosts
Sonata Arctica - The Days Of Grays
Sylvan - Force Of Gravity
Good ones from Arjen Lucassen, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Sonata Arctica, Chickenfoot and I especially liked Sylvan - Force Of Gravity and very very much liked Foreigner – Can’t Slow Down who are brill on CD and live with their new singer & Shadow Gallery – Digital Ghosts who also have a new singer after the death of Mike Baker who makes them sound a little more like Queensrychw, but as ever they can keep producing excellent progressive metal albums with great melody and strong musical abilities.
Best CD from ages past purchased
Sad Café - Fanx Ta Ra 1977
Sad Café - Misplaced Ideals 1978
Sad Café - Façades 1979
Sad Café - Sad Café 1980
Sad Café - Olé 1981
System Of A Down - Steal This Album! 2002
All the SC albums have good bits but Sad Café – Façades (1979) has a little more mature sound and contains Everyday Hurts.
Best best of CD purchased
Bruce Springsteen - Greatest Hits 1974-95
Gig of the Month
Hard Rock Hell III – GMT, Logan, Gun, Hysterica, Ratt, Terrorvision, Eden’s Curse, Sonata Artica, Girlschool, Tigertailz, Quireboys, Wasp, Queensyche, New York Dolls
Skin + Toby Jepson
HRH was a nice weekend. I especially liked Gun, Hysterica, Terrorvision, Sonata Artica and Wasp. But it was great to see Skin back and on really great form.
Cinema film of the Month
The Decent: Part 2
Sherlock Holmes - which I haven't seen yet but I bet I will enjoy it.
Film on TV
Taken
Incendiary
How to Lose Friends & Alienate People
Twilight
Liam Neeson was great in Taken.
Rewatched Film on TV
Over The Hedge is a cute film but Get Smart is Carrelly funny :)
Best DVD bought
Doghouse
The Hangover
Inglorious Basterds
Wolverine (X-Men Origins)
Well they were all on my Crimbo list to Santa because I like them all. I’m not going to let me pick my favourtie child (although larfing is good so I might pick The Hangover.
DVD watched
2112
Law Abiding Citizen
Mirrors
Kung Fu Panda
Zombie Transfusion
Hush
The Marsh
One Missed Call
Mirrors ended up being a little silly but was still good creepy nasty thing in mirrors fun. Kung Fu Panda was good too.
DVD rewatched
The Hangover
Wolverine
Inglorious Basterds
Book read
I’ve got a few days left but I don’t think I’ll finish it in time :/
Top purchase
My HTC hero phone mainy because even though it’s currently a bit fiddly and not as easy to make calls as my previous phone I am learning new wonderful things about it each day. Kel jokes that at the moment I touch it more than her.
Januray has 14 days at work, 0 gigs but 1 birthday :)
current mood:  relaxed
current music: World's Deadliest Sea Creatures
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(Join the zoo)
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| Sunday, December 27th, 2009
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5:34 pm - Crimbo
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A very different one to all that have gone before.
Crimbo Eve Eve I drove kel and I up to Rotherham where we visited a couple of friends of hers one who has a 10monthish old baby girl. After a couple of hours at the friends mother’s house the 5 of us went for a pleasant meal in a pub, although one of us was fast asleep because they had eaten already (and also cried at the sight of a deep voiced bearded woman, although it did take 5 minutes for her to do so).
We then popped round to my folks to exchange pressies and drove home just as it was starting to snow again. The roads were still a little icey from the last time and I had to be helped reversing onto my drive by the neighbours.
We stayed in that night, and Crimbo Eve too as it looked far too slippy and cold to be going anywhere. So we ordered a Chinese delivery and were also visited by 2 souls who were brave enough to venture out and give us an unexpected gift which turned out to be a screw a golf club together putting type thingie which I plan to have a go at in my kitchen soon.
We woke early on Crimbo and opened our gifts while wearing lounge about comfy clothes and santa hats. Kel got things including The new Europe CD, Adam Sandler/Kevin James DVDs, voucher for a hairdryer, scarf and some shared with me that included handwash set, beer, biccies and a huge bag of assorted boozey and foody items from her sister along with a nice little teapot and some tea. Yes we is becoming civilized ;p
I got:-
From Kelly
Badminton racket – which I aim to win a game with Kel some time
Digital watch – because my last one gave up
Simpsons calendar (his & hers) - Aww
Beatles calendar
Socks (Mr Perfect & Sexy Devil) - True
Underwear
CDs
Kiss - Sonic Boom
Within Temptation - An Acoustic Night At the Theatre
Me Ma&Pa
CDs
Bon Jovi - The Circle
DVDs
Doghouse
Wolverine (X-Men Origins)
Me Brother
CD
Creed Full Circle
DVDs
The Hangover
Inglorious Basterds
Kels Mum
CD
Megadeth - Endgame
Muse - The Resistance
Pearl Jam - Backspacer
We had a breakfast of bacon and eggs before settling down to watch The Hangover while we cooked our very first whole chicken (when I say we I of course mean SuperKel). We did make a little bit of a mistake which lead to invisible smoke blinding us for 2 hours but the end result was perfect. I lovely golden bird with succulent meat to go with our traditional Sunday dinner type meal (no pigs in blankets or sprouts here).
It was then time for telly as I watched the penultimate Tennent Dr Who while Kel had a nap and then we watched Corrie, EatEnders, The Royle Family (best thing on again), Gavin & Stacey, and Catherine tate’s Nan is Scrooge thing.
I drank some beer and some JD and coke and generally felt bloated and content.
Boxing day we went to see my folks for 3+ hours along with my bro and his girlfriend. Very nice food was involved including Mu’s yummy chocolate log which made me sleepy.
So I went home and had a nap before going to work and Kel headed back to where she lives when not with me, but she’ll be back on Monday for another 5 nights.
We survived our first Crimbo with not too many tears and tantrums :)
current mood: pleased
current music: Paradox
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(Join the zoo)
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| Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009
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11:50 pm - Today's Twits
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| Sunday, December 20th, 2009
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11:50 pm - Today's Twits
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| Saturday, December 19th, 2009
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11:50 pm - Today's Twits
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| Friday, December 18th, 2009
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11:50 pm - Today's Twits
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| Thursday, December 17th, 2009
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11:50 pm - Today's Twits
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| Wednesday, December 16th, 2009
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11:50 pm - Today's Twits
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6:14 pm - Other things
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Went to see The Descent: Part 2 at the cinema. It took a little less time for the first munch this time but still had plenty of squirm in your seat moments. The death/survival order was unpredictable and while it lacked a little of the originality the first had it’s a very worthwhile sequel with plenty of suspense and a good ending. I shall be getting the double DVD set when it comes out.
I’ve updated my phone. I went for an HTC hero. It’s a touch screen rival to the iphone with 6 little buttons and a nipple at the foot of it near its sticky out “chin”. Good things about it so far include the modern touch screen abilities, the potential apps I could download, the bigger screen to view the Internet, gmail/facebook/twitter notifications/apps, USB charger with plug adapter.
Bad things include – A calendar that isn’t as nice as the nokia one, ringtone only lasts 30 seconds (unless I can figure how to alter it), battery power (when using lots of apps), need to get used to locking the screen when not in use as when I don’t my pocket starts rubbing on it and ringing people,
On Friday a bunch of us went to Rock City in the 90s @ The Rig. The Rig is one of the smaller rooms connected to Nottingham’s Rock nightclub Rock City. On the Friday it was shut off from the main club (which was full of trendies) so it could play tunes that used to be played on the Thursday & Saturday nights back in the day. There was something for everyone including Pulp, Reef, Pantera, Blur, Skunk Anansie, The Prodigy, Marilyn Manson and more. I drove down so it was lemonade all night for me, but I still had a good time and danced now and then between 2230 and 0230.
We might all be back for another go in March.
I had a bit of a Crimboish dinner a couple of weeks ago with Kel’s family (There were crackers involved) and then this Sunday just gone Kel’s family (Mum, Mum’s partner, sis, bro, nan) drove up to Nottingham and we met with my parents to go for a Crimbo dinner. I had prawn cocktail, turkey dinner and chocolate heaven mousse all for a nice price of £12.50 per head. I think everyone had a good time and they even all popped back to mine for coffee. Kel & I had done a lot of clean up the day before and her tree which is now our tree looks nice in the living room.
What with the dancing night the gig and the meal it had been a brill weekend. The only thing missing was Kel on the Friday night but I’ve got 11 nights of her staying over in the next 2 weeks so that’s cool :)
current mood: rushed
current music: Two Pints Of Lager & A Packet Of Crisps Special
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(Join the zoo)
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| Tuesday, December 15th, 2009
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4:52 pm - Centre Parks
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A few weeks ago now I also went for my first little holiday to CentreParcs Sherwood Forest. It’s 400 acres of land with a Subtropical Swimming Paradise, Village Square full of shops and restaurants, Jardin Des Sports (badminton courts, pool tables, café, restaurant, gym, tennis courts etc), Lakeside and Aqua Sana for the 4000+ guests to use.
I’m not sure if there were 4000 guests when we went as it was a chilly November and there didn’t always seem to be a lot of people about, which actually made the whole thing even nicer.
8 of us went. Kel and I plus 3 other couples, 1 of which contained the son of 1 of the grown ups :)
We stayed in a 4 room ‘villa’ that had en-suite bathrooms, a downstairs typical kitchen/dining room/living room area and also a sauna and hot tub. These things were handy as a lot of activities at CentreParcs can be a little costly so it’s nice to actually just chill out together on the sofas. We had a brief go in the sauna but I liked my first go in a hut tub more.
My biggest challenge there was the free Subtropical Swimming Paradise. Mainly because apart from a recent go in my gym I hadn’t been swimming or half naked in public for maybe 20 years. But with Kel’s and others support I got in there and did some swimming. Being a new novice I didn’t quite like the waves machine but did have fun on the "Grand Cascade" raft ride and easy going flumes, until one of the bigger drops took me to the bottom and took a little chunk out of my elbow (scabs are cool). The outdoor heated section of the pool was nice too, although after going in one of the Jacuzzis some found it too cold the second time, although I quite liked the nippiness myself.
Other activities included strolling around, golf driving range, pool, eating (meat pancake, burgers, steak and some home cooking too). These were all good things but I did enjoy Badminton. So much that we’ve decided to try and keep it up at our local leisure centre.
Another highlight was the Aqua Sana Spa. We had to pay about £25 each but that gave us access to a pleasant 3+ hour experience in which dressed in either swimwear or white robes we chilled out in various steam rooms of varying degrees of sweatiness or relaxation. There was also a little pool that when I looked up I could see a few stars :)
It was a nice little break. We enjoyed it so much that were definitely going back next November when the prices come down.
current mood:  hungry
current music: Merlin
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(2 Minkeys | Join the zoo)
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| Monday, December 14th, 2009
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4:30 pm - Skin
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The support slot on Saturday’s gig was filled by Toby Jepson. Perhaps best known for being the front man for Little Angels in the 90s and since then occasionally popping back for the odd solo album or to front other bands (Fastway and Gun).
On Saturday it was just him and his guitar as he went through 30 minutes of Little Angels material to a crowd who were there when it all happened first time. A Little Angels reunion would be great, or even him doing the stuff with a full band, but his odd solo bits and his continuing work with Gun will do for now. Nice stuff.
Set list:-
Little Angel
Kicking Up Dust
Boneyard
I Aint Gonna Cry
Don’t Prey For Me
Young God (Wont get Fooled again)
Too Much Too Young
It had been about the same time since I saw Welsh rockers Skin. In fact they once supported Little Angels. After a ten year break the guys are back together and might be older and with shorter hair but still in great shape and able to give a damn good show.
Guitarist Myke Grey is now buffed up after becoming a personal trainer in his years away from the band and has a personal philosophy to be the best he can be. So you know you’re bound to get a good performance from him. Vocalist Neville MacDonald’s hair might be shorter but his voice is still in top form. It’s a good classic rock voice that with the great mix allows you to hear what he’s actually singing about and sing along with the nice lyrics, I especially liked singing along to House Of Love, Money, Look But Don’t Touch, Tower Of Strength and the EMF cover Unbelievable.
The band seemed to soak up the admiration the crowd had for them. Now that Thunder have ended their music again there’s a slot for a great British rock band to fill the gap and I’m hoping Skin can do it. Looking forward to some new material and a tour next year.
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) dr_throb and I were going to the gig as fans already but I had dragged Kel to it too and I think they have another new fan.
Set list:-
The Only One
Spit On You
How Lucky You Are
Blow my mind
1 on 1?
House Of Love
Colourblind
Redemption
Money
Take Me Down To The River
Look But Don’t Touch
Tower Of Strength
Reunited
Unbelievable
Perfect Day
Shine Your Light
current mood: full
current music: Fringe
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(Join the zoo)
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| Saturday, December 12th, 2009
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11:50 pm - Today's Twits
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