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You know, I never realised I watched so many films! Although maybe now I’m writing about them, I’m making the effort to watch more. I do feel like I watch a lot of TV as well – but its not just random things, its series that I watch every week – currently Being Human (Sundays, 1 hour), Larkrise to Candleford (Sundays, 1 hour), University Challenge (Mondays, 1/2 hour), and QI (Fridays, 1/2 hour). Just recently there has also been a really interesting programme on the British Family, with episodes on Children, Money, Divorce and…well another one that I can’t remember! It was so interesting, all about how things have changed over the years and how families have changed. I love programmes like that. My favourite series at the moment is Being Human – it is just so amazing!! I don’t even usually like things like that (“supernatural” things) – but, as the title suggests, this is a lot more about how they cope with their issues (of being a werewolf, vampire and ghost) and “being human”, so it’s a good mix. The characters are so likeable and believable. I wish they’d hurry up and explain who the scary looking religious man is though, I really want to know!

But anyway, on with the books and films!

Book Eight – The Slave Ship by Marcus Rediker )

That ends the books I have read in January – I read eight in total, which is a good start. I’ve decided I will read one fiction and then one non-fiction book, otherwise I end up getting bogged down in the non-fiction books and not get on well with the fiction books. I have, amazingly, not bought any books from charity shops since October! (although I have donated money to charity instead, to make up for their loss!) This year I am determined to work through the piles of books I have to read in my bedroom – currently I am reading a book that Kt bought me for Christmas, The Cemetary of Secrets, which is a historical crime book, its great! And then next I have The Life of Graham, biography of Graham Chapman, so that should be good 

Films 13 and 14 )

I think I’m going to have another quiet weekend – it’s the rock night on Friday, but haven’t got anything else planned, so will probably just stay in and read my book. On the Open University website they have short courses which are free for you to print off, so I’m going to work my way through some of them in the next little while – they only take about 4 or 5 hours to do each one. I am definitely thinking of doing an Open University course (probably “Starting with Psychology”) but I’m just a bit worried about if I do it and don’t pass – it would just all be a waste then. Although I definitely need more things on my cv, as its really not that impressive at the moment. I have a degree – but it’s a bad grade, so compared to everyone else who has a degree as well, I need other things to make myself look better. I have found quite a few OU courses that I’d like to do, which is good, I just need to find the courage to go for them and not worry!! I do feel like I’m stuck in a bit of a rut at the moment, so I need to get out and *do* something with myself. I really enjoy the weekends when I go out and go and see Katie and things, but I’m not really doing anything during the week, so I need to do something else. Oh, apart from the quiz on Tuesdays – which we did quite well in on last Tuesday. They have started an extra quiz, which all builds up to a grand final in March, and we are joint first in that at the moment, so that’s excellent so far! Hopefully it’ll continue and we can get into the final – the top prize is £500 
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Films! )

Book Seven - Catcher In The Rye by JD Salinger

JD Salinger died this week, age 91, so I thought I'd read Catcher in the Rye again, as everyone seems to think its amazing book, a brilliant commentary on youth and all that, but I just didn't get that at all when I last read it. And no, I didn't get it this time either! It is well written, an interesting read, but there is nothing that jumps off the page at me as being so deep and meaningful as most people seem to think it is. I don't care much for Holden Caulfield, so although I am interested in him and his activities on a superficial level, to see how they turn out, theres nothing deeper than that, and I don't take anything away from reading the book. Its not like things like 1984 and War of the Worlds, where the ideas and the story just jump off the page at you, its just a story about a boy who leaves school and goes to New York for a few days. So, although it is a good story, and I would recommend it, everyone's raving and expectations of it makes it feel less good than it is, I think. So I'd only give it 5/10.

This weekend was nice and relaxing (well until Sunday morning, haha!) so didn't really do much. Tidied out some bits of my bedroom on Saturday and found seven pairs of headphones that only worked on one earphone, haha. They look useful for some kind of craft or cyber project though, so I don't want to throw them away. Also found a working cd walkman, and tape walkman, and lots of batteries for them, so thats great! I didn't know I still had my tape player :D And found the computer cable and instructions for my phone, so I now have a new ringtone and message tone on my phone, as I put some more songs on there. However no one has called me, or text me when I could hear it, yet, so not sure I'll remember I've changed it, haha.

It was the "Rock Night Promotions" band night on Saturday night at the Beehive. The first band wasn't too great, just a normal generic "local band", i.e. not that good. But then Nadir Rising played, and they were excellent, as usual! They finished with a cover of "One Vision" by Queen as well, so that was great :) Same as normal with the people there, though Emma and Nick were there and I talked to them a bit, which was really nice, haven't seen them for ages.

Sunday was quite eventful, really! First I got up early to watch the final of the Australian Open - argh so nailbiting, especially at the end!! It was between Andy Murray and (of course) Roger Federer - and although he did beat Murray in 3 sets, the last one went to a tiebreak which went on for a while (ended up 13-11 I think) and it was increasingly clear that Murray is quite evenly matched with Federer, there were some shots that Federer didnt get, which he would of had he been playing a player who wasn't as good. Murray will win the Grand Slams he deserves - he just needs to get over the hurdle of beating someone who has been in 19 grand slam finals! Hopefully at Wimbledon Murray will do it! :)

In the afternoon we went to a Antique and Collectors Fair in Berkhamstead, which was good. There were quite a few nice Royal things I wanted to buy, but unfortunately as I've got so much commemorative stuff from 1953 - present, I want things which are earlier - but they're so expensive! Even the unusual stuff from the Silver Jubilee and the Coronation is quite a lot too - there were some lovely pin badges, but the stall holder wanted £10 each for them! I also saw a great looking commemorative brochure for when King Edward VII opened Shenley Mental Asylum - unfortunately it was £65, but I would love something like that, thats my two interests in one item! :) There was also a Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee Commemorative plate for only £10!! but looking closer at it, it was smashed to pieces (in about 6 or 7 pieces!) and had been glued together again, so I didn't buy it. In the end I just got some Silver Jubilee ribbon :D

So all in all, a quite good weekend. Would have liked to have gone out to do some dancing at some point...but I'll save that all for 13th February and Assemblage 23 :)
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I was off work yesterday, so watched a few films:

Films Eight, Nine, and Nine and a Half )

I'm off work again today, so I might watch some more films - I got the two films about Che Guevara (is that how you spell his name?) and they're supposed to be excellent, so I might watch them. Watching the tennis at the moment though - Murry vs Nadal, at the Australian Open. Murray currently has the upper hand, 6-3 in the first set, and they're currently 4-4 in the second. I must say I do prefer Wimbledon though - their shoes squeaking on the court are really annoying, and everyone is wearing such garish colours! I think Nadal is actually wearing a bright orange shirt and a bright pink sweatband - euww! Oh no! Now its 5-4 to Nadal! But it's Murray to serve next, so hopefully he'll win that one :)

One thing I meant to comment on last week was the case of the two young boys in Doncaster who beat up / tortured / left to die two other young boys. It is good that they have been sentanced, but - similar to the Jamie Bulger case, and the boys who murdered him - those boys will get a better life in "prison" than they ever would outside. And they will probably be released before they go into an adult prison, as it would be too "harsh" for them or something. The court stated that the younger boy has psychopathic tendancies, so society has to be properly protected from him for his whole life, in case he does something worse. If they are capable of this now, what will they be like in 5, 10, 15 years time. I wonder if their parents will be somehow punished as well, as it was in part their fault, and I believe their father said that they had been with him all the time, instead of committing the crime. It just makes me angry that they will be let out of prison in a few years, and will possibly be given totally new lives (as in the Jamie Bulger case), while the boys they attacked will have to live with what happened to them for the rest of their lives. I imagine that they are scared to go outside, I know I would be.

Ooh the tennis is getting quite exciting now - 5-5 in the second set, 15-30 to Murray! ooh!!
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Katie went back to uni on Saturday :( so this weekend I had a very relaxing / lazy couple of days, so I watched quite a few films, whilst at the same time cataloguing / listing all my cds (half way through the rock and pop ones at the moment, i've done all the goth and industrial ones!). Its made me realise that I've actually got quite a few cds that I haven't listened to for a while, I need to get back into some bands. And I've made a big list of all the ones which are copies, so I can get proper copies of them, as I much prefer having the "proper" cds. Need to look on ebay I think, although things on there are never as cheap as they used to be.

Films Four, Five, Six and Seven (contains spoilers) )

No books yet, as I'm still reading World Without End - its so good! as soon as I start to read it I'm right there with them, in their world. I'm about 1/3 through it so far, but I already don't want it to end :)

Even though I didn't do much, I've felt quite positive, which is weird as usually when Katie goes back to uni I feel a bit sad! I think its because I am going to see her and go to the Wendyhouse next weekend, and we've got a few of cool events coming up soon where I will see her, so I'm positive about the good times I'm going to have with her, instead of just being sad she's gone, I'm looking forward to things we've already organised. Next one after the Wendyhouse is Assemblage 23 and Slimelight on 13th February, which should be great. Plus it seems that I've lost some weight, which is a good start for the year :)

I hope all this positiveness continues, really :)
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Film Three )

So today has been a definate "snow day" for me! At first I wasn't sure if I was going into work, so I got up at normal time, but I rang in and the manager said not to come in. Which is good as I've had a lovely day, haha. Went out for a walk with my family from about 11am to 1pm, that was great (apart from all the big dogs walking around :( No small ones as they must get buried in the snow, its so deep!) and we threw lots of snowballs and took lots of pictures:



And now I'm writing this, and then will probably read my book for a couple of hours and then maybe watch a film...all good! :)
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I've decided I'm going to start writing small reviews in here, of books I read, films I see, and anything else which I think people might find interesting! I'm going to start with two films that I actually saw last year, but it was only last week so I think thats ok!

Film One )

Film Two )

Book One )

Well they ended up a bit longer than I expected, but there you go! Hopefully the reviews will get more eloquent and interesting as I go on!

I am currently reading "World Without End" by Ken Follet, which I am really looking forward to, as I loved Pillars Of the Earth, the first book in the series. Also I'm hoping to go see "The Road" at the cinema this week, so look out for a review of that soon! :)
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\"History is a commentary on the various and continuing incapabilities of men. \"

\"...to put something in context is a step towards saying it can be understood and that it can be explained. And if it can be explained that it can be explained away...\"


I went to see a film called \'The History Boys\' at the cinema last night (a great cinema, a gorgeous old one called The Rex in Berkhamstead). It\'s written by ALan Bennett, and its brilliant! Its about a group of boys in a grammar school in Yorkshire (though it was actually filmed at Watford Boys Grammar, and some at the girls school) ,and about them preparing to get into Oxford or Cambridge University. Its quite interlectual, but then I like things like that! And it was all about history, which was great! The quotes above are two that I particually liked. And with a great soundtrack which is very 80s and includes the Cure, I liked it even more. Talking of good soundtracks - I would also really recommend \'Starter for Ten\' - thats also set in the 80s, in a university, and it has great music to it! :)

So yeah, I would recommend everyone to see those two films :)

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