Video: Show us your favorite TV or movie villain.
Submitted by Felipe Anuel.
Prof. Umbridge from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix would be up there if the film was already out. She really is evil.
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Video: Show us your favorite TV or movie villain.
Submitted by Felipe Anuel.
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I knew it was going to be a lively gig when stuff started getting thrown around - in a nice way - and people were crowd surfing before the band even came on.
The Electric Ballroom is a small venue and gradually got more and more packed until even though I was still halfway back I was losing personal space. But it didn't matter. The crowd whipped up into a frenzy on the build up and then exploded on the first song with everyone around me jumping around.
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If you had a CD or album coming out, who would you thank in the liner notes?
The gullible deaf person and my lucky stars.
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Spider-Man 3: Whatever
Zodiac: What the hell
Pirates of the Caribbean 3: Er what?
Lets take Spider-Man 3 first. It didn't feel like a laboured film, the time went by without really noticing.
But that was it. Spider-Man battles his inner demons. Yawn. Yawn. Seen the flying sequences before. Seen the fight scenes before. Seen most of the special effects before. Seen the whole in/out of love thing before. Came out of the cinema feeling mildly entertainment but ultimately not moved. At a press conference when the film was launched Kirsten Dunst made a bit a boob by saying something that implied there weren't going to be any more Spider-Man movies. I think the fact that one of the stars has apparently lost interest says it all really.Then there was Zodiac. Been looking forward to it as it sounded like it would be good, tense, psychological thriller and it has a great cast. (I have a particular fondness for Jake Gyllenhaal.) The reality was a disjointed film that was extremely difficult to follow, not least because some of the characters had a tendency to mumble. This made it difficult to understand what they were saying in a film when every word is important. I ended up having to let it wash over me grabbing any semblance of comprehension I could. I got the ending, but I hadn't got a clue how they'd got there which sort of defeated the object really.
And finally Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. Excuse my french, but what the buggery-bollocks was that all
about. I found the plot of the sequel difficult to fathom and for the first 45 minutes of this one I felt like it was being shown on someone's TV and I was watching it through their sitting room window.Posted at 10:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
Having spent last Christmas and New Year at home, decided that it was
time for another big holiday season getaway. After very little debate, Mosh and I have just booked a 16-day trip to Cuba with Explore Worldwide departing just before Christmas.Posted at 01:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0)
First of what is going to be a theatre-packed month today. The play was Leaves of Glass by Philip Ridley with the excellent Ben Whishaw and Maxine Peake of Dinner Ladies and Shameless fame at the Soho Theatre.
It is a small theatre with unallocated seating. Being the penultimate performance it was sold out but I still managed to secure a spot on the front row.
The stage was the same height as my seat and close enough to act as a comfortable foot rest, so the action is very close, more of which later.
It is an interesting play, a tale of two very different brothers shaped by a childhood loss and experience.
The incident which is central to their relationship is never explicitly explained, merely hinted at which makes it all the worse. The brothers can never have an equal relationship because of it and this becomes apparent as the play progresses.
Although two hours without an interval, it rushed by helped by startling good performances by all four cast members. Ben Whishaw adopts the east end, working class boy turned self-made business man attitude, as well as accent, effortlessly.
The only suffering during the performance, on my part anyway, was during a fight scene between the two brothers. During the scuffle, Ben Whishaw's watch some how got ripped off and hit me from across the other side of the stage. I have a (very small) bruise on the top of my foot. It did take me and the person sat next to me somewhat by surprise.
At the end of the play, being the goodish citizen I am, I only thought about pocketing it as a memento for a second or two. Instead I handed it in to a rather bemused member of the theatre staff.
Definitely goes into my claim to fame top three after Jools Holland buying me a scotch and being kissed on the cheek by snooker players Stephen Hendry and Jimmy White when I was 18.
* possible hyperbole
Posted at 11:00 PM in Ben Whishaw (pre Theatre & Film blogs), Theatre (posts from Rev Stan's vox) | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBack (0)
Luckily my overnight stay in Exeter coincided with some clement and bright weather so I took advantage and went for a stroll. Exeter is, after all, a historic city with some impressive buildings including the cathedral, parts of which date from the 12th Century.
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First time at Bush Hall in West London which is a cracking little venue, beautifully ornate inside but small enough so that it feels intimate:
* gig trainers v. heavy owing to their platform design to give Rev Short-arse a slight chance of a view
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In Exeter there is a big redevelopment underway in the city centre and as part of that there are 16 apartments which are soon to be released for sale off plan.
I was in the city for work and heard that some people were so eager to buy one of these new apartments they were actually camping outside the marketing suite ahead of the launch. When I took this picture I thought the launch was the next day:
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I've never been banned from anything before but today I got a letter saying I wasn't to give blood again.
Black-balled, barred, do not pass go, your names not the list so you aint getting in.
How dare they!
Just because of a teeny weeny little fainting incident. One fainting incident in 23 donations.
It was entirely my own fault, I've learnt my lesson, won't make the same mistake. I'll be careful. I've even given blood since and was absolutely fine.
I was one donation shy of getting my silver card. When I saw the Blood donor stamp on the envelope I thought it was my silver card arriving.
I'm gutted, genuinely gutted.
I'm going to appeal. They've probably never had anyone appeal before but I'm going to. They have to let me back. This isn't the end.
(I want that silver card).
*glum*
Posted at 08:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0)
What words make you giggle (no matter how old you are)?
Submitted by Margurette.
Any word(s) that are gentle euphemisms for flatulance, male genitalia and breasts particularly in the Carry On style. I'm still a kid at heart. Please feel free to post examples, I could do with a chuckle.
Posted at 08:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)
Today the support acts were announced for Muse's two Wembley gigs in June.
On the Saturday, which is when Mosh and I are going, it is Rodrigo Y Gabriela a Spanish folk rock duo who should be quite pleasant especially if it is a sunny day and The Streets, which is an interesting choice. The Streets or Mike Skinner is described as 'British hip hop'. Imagine 'gansta' chav, Arctic Monkey's-style everyman lyrics set to a monotonous hip hop beat.
The first album was raved about, the second was criticised because the lyrics had moved on to reflect Mike Skinners new status hip hop star. I'm probably being unfair but while the odd song played on the radio is quite entertaining a whole set will be tedious. And I'm not sure it will work in such a big venue. We shall see.
The Sunday show is Biffy Clyro, again haven't got the foggiest and My Chemical Romance. Revenge is sweet. Enough said.
Think the plan will be to get there early for a good spot and take a book.
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Gigs are like buses...
Mosh bought me tickets to see Seasick Steve at the Electric Ballroom, Camden for my birthday. Mosh decided to relinquished his ticket as he thought playing fives was more important so I went with Nadia and J. Had high expectations and, despite feeling absolutely
Posted at 11:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Is it wrong to lie to a nurse?
I'm a regular blood donor and went to donate yesterday. The last time I donated I had a fainting incident several hours afterwards which was entirely my own fault for not taking enough care of myself post-donation.
The nurse had the sort of extra-sensory perception that only nurses have and asked almost immediately if I'd fainted after my last visit. I owned up but said I'd called the helpline and been advised it was probably dehydration.
Now at the time I said it, I believed it was true but quickly realised that I had in fact only gone on the National Blood Service website for advice.
Chose not to reveal this recollection.
And I'm glad I didn't because when the nurse checked in the official 'folder' it said that people who had fainted weren't supposed to donate again.
I'd have been gutted if I'd been banned not least because I'm so close to getting my silver donors card.
Fortunately my fibbing saved the day. Because I'd 'spoken' to a doctor and 'they' hadn't mentioned not donating again the nurse thought I should be OK. Although she did have to fill out some paper work to go on my file "you understand".
Felt a bit naughty but I hadn't intended to fib and I did donate and everything was fine. No fainting.
The silver card remains in my grasp.
Posted at 07:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
Which band or artist which is no longer performing or alive would you have loved to have seen?
Submitted by Rev Stan.
Have been very impressed by the number of answers given to this and interesting to follow how the answers change during the day. By my rough calculations Vox posts the question in the middle of the night American time because it always changes at lunch time here in old blighty, so as the different parts of the world woke up and started blogging there was a slight shift in choices of artists.
Alot of the American answers seem to include the Beatles, Elvis, Frank Sinatra and other crooners and blues musicians from bygone days while in Europe the Beatles still dominated but bands such as Led Zepplin, Jimi Hendrix and Queen started to creep in.
An alarming large number of people want to see the Spice Girls, to which I'm not going to comment.
I think if I was to tot up the answers the Beatles and Elvis would be in the top two which isn't too much of a surprise.
And now for my answer. Well I could come at it from a different angle and say Laurence Olivier as I regard him as an artist and he did perform and I would have loved to have seen him in a Shakespeare play but that wouldn't be in keeping with what I had in mind when I posed the question.
So my top two has to be Nirvana and Abba.
Nirvana because I just love 'em and will be eternally jealous of my brother Derren who saw them at Rock City in Nottingham. Back then it was still possible to dodge security and get up on stage for a bit of stage diving, which he did. How cool is that?
And Abba because I just love the songs and it would be a great sing-along, have a bit of dance show.
Posted at 01:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
Which band or artist which is no longer performing or alive would you have loved to have seen?
Submitted by Rev Stan.I'd have loved to have seen Seasick Steve tonight in the Electric Ballroom, Camden, unfortunately there was a group of tall fuckers standing in front of me.
Sounded great though.
Proper answer tomorrow as it is my question. Actually, did I mention it is my QOTD?
Posted at 11:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
I've submitted suggestion after top suggestion for months only to have the daily disappointment of it not appearing. To add insult to injury I've had versions of MY questions ripped off and used. I have annoyed friends, neighbours and family with moaning about it and abused the good name of Vox but now that is all in the past.
Today it is my QOTD.
Please, dear neighbours, go answer it. Now!
PS Nadia, AKA Vasquez and Adam - I'll shut up now.
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Two down, four to go.
In Chamber of Secrets I love how Hermione starts to develop a rebellious streak. She is certainly the brains of the trio and without her the two boys would still be trying to get past the charms which protect the Philospher's Stone.
There is a line in the film, I haven't checked to see if it was lifted straight from the book, when Dumbledore says to Lucius Malfoy something along the lines of "I hope nothing else from Tom Riddles school days ends up in innocent hands".
PS Soup, this is the version of the adult cover that I have...
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Decided to raid my bead box and see what inspired me. I'm quite pleased with the results. The blue is mine and I made the pink for a birthday present. Not a pink person myself so pleased to find a good use for the beads.
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The Soho Theatre is a small venue - unallocated, bench seating that type of thing -
in a fairly new development on Dean Street. Bought tickets on a whim to see stand up comedian Michael McIntyre after he appeared on Have I Got News For You. Show didn't start until 9.45pm and lasted just over an hour. Price £15.Posted at 12:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
In honour of their Wembley gigs Muse has set up a new website. They've also put an appeal out for fans to send in videos of them playing live with the best being put on the site. So I'm throwing down the gauntlet to the Vox Muse Group to get one of their videos on the new site, I know you all have plenty of clips...
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It's been a bit of week of blasts from the past. Had to go up to Liverpool for work for a couple of days and as it's my old University town thought I'd see if an old college friend, Jackie, was around to meet up. We haven't seen each other for nine years and I'd lost all contact.
Tried the internet for clues as to her whereabouts but the search drew a blank.
So I tried googling another mutual college friend whom I haven't had any contact with since I left Uni 15 years ago and not only did I find her but also her work email address.
A couple of emails and 24-hours later I had Jackie's mobile and the arrangements for meeting up were made.
It was a lovely evening. There was loads to catch up on, obviously, and lots of reminiscing and the whole thing felt just like old times yet surreal at the same time. We met in one of our old student haunts. Miraculously after 15 years of fickle bar trends it still has the same name and, just to make us feel our age, is still a student haunt.
And if that wasn't enough, I emailed my old down stairs neighbour this week (her tenants have been causing me a bit of grief but that's another story) and we've arranged to meet up in a couple of weeks. We always got on well when we were neighbours and socialised a bit. I enjoyed her company, so I'm looking forward to seeing her again.
I feel bad that I waited until I had a gripe to get in touch.
When I was a little kid I had an autograph book which I got my mum to sign and she wrote: 'Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver one is gold'.
She was quite right. Wrists slapped, lesson learnt.
Posted at 07:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
What were the main household rules when you were growing up? What are the rules in your own house now?
Brought to you by the movie Georgia Rule.
Growing up:
* Turn lights out when no one is in a room - "what do you think this is Blackpool illuminations" was my Dad's favourite chastisement.
* Keep doors shut to retain the heat when heating was on in the winter - "you weren't brought up in a barn".
In hindsight my parents economising made us quite environmentally friendly and both of these things I still live by today.
Now:
* Loo seat and lid down. This is a ladeez flat and besides it's more hygienic to have the lid down when you flush to stop the water splashes. Apparently it also bad feng shui to leave the lid up as all your prosperity and good luck goes straight down the toilet.
* Absolutely no cricket on the TV or Radio. It's a shit, stupid game. Actually scrap that as technically all sport is stupid. It's a dull game in which the sportsman barely work up a sweat and therefore need to wear trousers and jumpers/tank tops to stop them catching a chill and thus eliminated any joy of admiring a carefully honed, sporting physique (the only real reason for being interested in sport after all).
Posted at 06:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
So Paris Hilton's mate has set up a petition to get her let off serving a prison sentance for violating probation for a drink-driving offence.
According to a BBC web story today it says:
The petition paints Ms Hilton as a role model who "provides hope for young people all over the US and the world. She provides beauty and excitement to (most of) our otherwise mundane lives".
She is a drink-driving, vag-flashing, pissed up, talentless, spoilt party girl who is famous for having rich parents and thinks she is above the law.
I'd rather have my 'mundane' life, my self respect and a social conscience thank you very much. The sad thing is she'll probably make even more cash out of selling her 'prison' story.
Following everyone's comments I've found this petition to ensure she does go to jail...
Posted at 01:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBack (0)
Going to a black tie do tomorrow night. Have two safe LBD's but thought I'd have a sniff around the shops anyway. Had in mind a strapless black dress with a slightly floaty skirt as a change from the very fitted dresses I already have.
Nadia came along and, with her and the sales assistants encouragement, I must have tried on about ten different dresses, none of which were black or very fitted.
I trust Nadia's opinion. I know she wouldn't let me go to this do in something that didn't suit me. The sales assistant backed her up. They said turquoise was my colour. That most people would be wearing black so I would stand out.
So I bought this dress...
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Got this album for my birthday. Not all the songs quite work, and there are some strange choices of cover such as Map of your head which is a b-side but, the songs that work are brilliant. The strings add an intensity and emotion to the music that I wouldn't have thought possible.
The cover of New Born from their second album Origins of Symmetry is one of my particular favourites, here it alongside the original. Wonder if the band has heard this and what they think...
Posted at 07:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
Thanks to Nadia for recommending this recipe out of her Jamie Oliver cook book, which I made for lunch yesterday. It was simple and delicious. Basically you put all your veg and tatties in a roasting tin with a browned leg of lamb and some herbs.
Posted at 01:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
...and also to my mate Alan, George Clooney, Bob Seger, Tony Blair and if they were still alive Rudolph Valentino, Orson Welles and Sigmund Freud.
Blimey where to start. Already eaten nearly a whole packet of Montezuma's tiny tasty turtles, part of the mountain of chocolate Mosh bought me from my favourite chocolate shop. There's a slab of plain chocolate stuffed with whole brazils, after dinner chocolate dollops and my favourite, vegan truffles, to enjoy.
Got a great stash of other pressies including:
The latter works surprisingly well. In fact it's brilliant. Once I've copied it into my iTunes I'll post a track or two.
My surprise evening out is tickets for Seasick Steve which I'm very excited about as his last London gig had sold out. Then in a fit of spontaneity matched with good timing, Mosh found out that Gogol Bordello are playing London at the end of the month and booked tickets. (That takes this month's gig count up to three!).
To tickle my newly found meat taste buds I got:
* Mosh's French not mine. He did A-level, I scraped a grade 4 CSE
Posted at 12:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)
Had my hair cut by the fabulous Shingo. He took quite a bit off the length and thinned out the mop at the back. Safe to say it won't look like this again until I go back to him in two months time...
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My sister bought me these beautiful roses for my Birthday tomorrow and Mosh's mum bought me one of those pots of miniature roses too. I love getting flowers, particularly when they are delivered. My flat looks real pretty. *big smile*
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I don't think it really sounds likes the Beatles, it must just be the way I sing it.
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If money were no object, which five luxury items would you rush right out and buy?
Submitted by lorilyn.
1. One of those Sony robot dogs
2. A personal trainer with the physique, and preferably look too, of Jake Gyllenhaal in Jarhead
3. A Philip Treacy hat
4. Large, unusually shaped tank of salt water tropical fish
5. Diamond tiara
Posted at 10:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
OK so its my birthday this weekend and as anyone who knows me will tell you: I love my birthday. Don't get the whole depression about being a year older thing, I say good excuse to have some fun, get together with friends, spoil yourself and Mosh has to be nice to me. If I'm good I'll get some pressies too. What isn't to like about that?
As it falls in the middle of a bank holiday weekend the celebrations start today. Yay!
But birthday aside I was looking at my calender and I've got a lot of good things in the diary for this month. There are two concerts: Apples in Stereo and Manic Street Preachers.
A bit of comedy in the form of stand up Michael McIntyre.
I'm going to an awards ceremony which is black tie so I can wear my posh frock - my magazine has been nominated but I'll be extremely surprised if we win.
Then there is reunion with some of the people Mosh and I met in Thailand and Cambodia a couple of years ago and Mosh's fives dinner at the fantastic Indian restaurant Sadya.
There is a mystery evening that Mosh has bought us tickets for - all revealed on Sunday, I hope.
And to finish it off we are going to visit our friends Nick and Sophie in Cardiff for the weekend.
If I get my arse into gear there may be one or two theatre visits thrown in for good measure as there are a couple of plays on this month I really want to see. One is an adaptation of Vernon God Little which I thought was an excellent book.
I'd say June is going to be an anti-climax but June is Muse month...
Posted at 07:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)
Video: Show us your TV crush.
Submitted by quornflour.
I've added 'current' because I'm fickle. My crushes swing from one show to the next depending on what's been on telly most recently.
In this instance it has to be the dreamy-eyed Jeremy Sisto who played Knapp in Kidnapped
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Saw this story on the BBC website today. I'm trying very hard to suppress the conspiracy theorist in me that is suggesting a Muse fan sabotage ;0)
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