News and Reviews

Well it looks like my new blogging average is about once a month, impressive....not. Best make the best of it then!

I have now decided to split my posts up into sections under little headlines, so they're more flowing and readable, as opposed to the usual amount of incoherent nonsense. It'll still be slightly chaotic, I've decided to dispense with any kind of time-line of events, and just spout off what's gone on, in no particular order. So, it's probably going to end up like a text version of the camera work in Cloverfield, but with less nausea (maybe).

Dexter
Dexter has become my new obsession. It started off because I saw an advert for the TV show and liked the music. I didn't really pay any attention to what the programme was about, until one day, it was on, and Hefty said "It's supposed to be really good that series." Well, I immediately Googled and Wikipediaed it and decided that it was right up my street, having, as I do, an obsession with murder/crime/stuff like that, though not in an 'inspired to kill' kind of way. So, first port of call was to read the books, as I like to be a purist about these things. I ordered 'Darkly Dreaming Dexter' and, because we now have the totally awesome Amazon Prime thing going on, it arrived the next day. And I pretty much read it in a day. SOLD. I passed it on to Hefty who prefers reading O'Reilly books normally, or so it seems, and he also read it in a day. So, straight onto the DVD rental site went I, and managed to procure Disc 1 within about 3 days. When it arrived, although I should have waited for Heft, I sat and watched it all, and LOVED it. So, I went back on to Amazon Prime, ordered 'Dearly Devoted Dexter', and then went to Play USA to buy the complete series (cos it was £17.99 on there and 30 squids everywhere else). Brilliant! I've watched half of the series so far, twice, I sat through it again with Hefty, and I really do love it. Am halfway through the second book too and I also really like that. So I'm entertained out at the moment, which is nice, because as I'm waiting for new BSG to come on (even though I have a feeling I'll be sorely disappointed, maybe even horrified like I was with the ending of series 3) I currently don't have anything to watch. Hurrah.


Ozzy
On Sunday, Ozzy found and ate half a bunch of grapes, the little swine! Luckily, Hefty caught him in the act and we managed to get him in at the emergency vets. He was in overnight where they made him sick (didn't have to pump his stomach thankfully) and had him on a drip. Phew! In case you didn't know, grapes and raisins are extremely poisonous to dogs and cats, worse than chocolate, and they can die within a couple of days from renal failure if you don't act quickly. Scary! Apparently, not a lot of people know that (why am I suddenly thinking about Michael Caine?) so the vet was very pleased. I went to pick him up yesterday and he was sporting a neon pink bandage on his front leg, cos they'd run out of blue! He looked like an 80s dog, it was very cool. Anyway, he seemed okay when he got home, but today he's been very jumpy and squeaky, so I took him back to the vets (thank god for pet insurance). It would seem he's got a rash on the spot where they took blood samples from him, so we've got some cream! She reckoned he was also feeling sorry for himself because he's a moody dog, so I've left him to it. He's been in his little cat tent for most of the day, sleeping (or maybe plotting to take over the world Tim), and generally looking miserable. I feel bad, but he won't come out so there's not much I can do. Sigh.


Band
Had another band rehearsal last week, and I was initially a bit worried, because the male vocalist left cos he got a job in London, so that meant I suddenly became the lead singer! I wasn't nervous, it's really weird, and slightly corny, but it's just the best feeling in the world doing this, so I don't feel nervous, just excited. However, I was worried in case the rest of the band thought I was crap, cos I'd only done backing vocals so far. Luckily, it was a HUGE success!! I had learned all the songs, as you might expect, or so I thought. Apparently, none of the other singers in other bands they'd been in ever learned songs properly, they just half-heartedly attempted stuff. 1-0 to Pop Star Pandah. Also, I just sang really well, and everyone seemed really impressed, and told me I was awesome, which was even better! 2-0 to Pop Star Pandah. They could have been lying, but I really blasted out You Oughta Know by Alanis Morissette (love it or hate it, it's a good song to sing if you're in a covers band), and when it finished, the lead guitarist and founder just laughed (in amazement, he explained), and said 'F*cking hell we need to do more songs like that." 3-0, game over. Yay!
They wanted to rehearse again on Friday, which I was well up for, but Hefty says Fridays are 'our night', and he doesn't want to sit in on his own. I was really disappointed, and am still a bit gutted, but I know what he means. However, I'm hoping that maybe the odd Friday, he won't mind, if I ask very nicely. It's the best night for everyone else which is just typical. Oh well. Sigh :0(


Film and TV
Today on iPlayer, I watched a programme that was on on BBC3 last night (I missed it obviously) called 'Sasha: Beauty Queen at 11'. It was very car crash, but one of the most entertaining things I've seen for ages. I'm sure it was callously edited, but that's not my fault, I can only judge what I saw. Basically, it was about this self-obsessed mother who'd wanted to be a model and failed, so decided to make her kids do it instead. Her main focus was her daughter Sasha, and it was actually really sad. This girl was talking about stuff, but she had no enthusiasm, there was no sparkle in her eyes, she was just empty, dead, talking about how she'd describe herself as 'Pretty, blonde, and dumb - I don't need brains.' She seemed to like some aspects of the stuff, but I think it was more to do with the attention she was getting from people, and not her Mum. Her Mum just pushed and pushed, threatened, belittled, god it was awful. I can only recommend that you get on iPlayer and watch it, because it's just unbelievable. Really sad, but thoroughly watchable, which probably means I'm sick in the head or something.
Have watched a few films recently too, and these are my thoughts:

No Country for Old Men - Cracking film, Spanish guy - well scary! WATCH!!!
Knocked Up - Would be better if the annoying, horrible, vapid, whiny women weren't in it, but as it's about a pregnancy, they have to be (well, one of them does).
Hallam Foe - Really interesting idea, likeable characters, bit sad, but I thought it was good, on a par with The Chumscrubber.
Superbad - Hilarious, I'm actually going to buy this, the 2 main characters were just brilliant. George Michael from Arrested Development is in it. Wickedgood!


Floors
We're currently having the floors I blogged about put down. Hooray! But that means I have to go, as Hefty's just got home.


Ciao for now.