Exorcise my Devils...

Wordless Wednesday #64 Ray of light

2012-01-25T14:52:00.000Z

Wordless Wednesday #63 Lego Storm trooper

2012-01-18T10:26:00.000Z

Wordless Wednesday #62 Park Life

2012-01-11T14:49:00.000Z

Wordless Wednesday #61 Strasbourg

2012-01-04T14:23:00.000Z

Wordless Wednesday #60 Christmas Cookies from Carol

2011-12-21T09:45:00.000Z

Wordless Wednesday #59 Trafalgar Sq by K

2011-12-14T09:28:00.000Z

Wordless Wednesday #58 Waffles

2011-12-07T08:00:00.001Z

Wordless Wednesday #57 Astronomical clock

2011-11-30T07:00:00.001Z

Wordless Wednesday #56 Lego

2011-11-23T11:24:00.000Z

wordless Wednesday #55 T3

2011-11-02T16:45:00.000Z

Wordless Wednesday #54 London Eye by night

2011-10-26T08:45:00.000+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #53 Canada Water

2011-10-19T00:00:00.000+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #52 The falling leaves are all Red and Gold

2011-10-12T00:00:00.003+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #51 Eerie Cincinnati by E

2011-10-05T11:11:00.002+01:00

Wordless Wednesday# 50 India by E

2011-09-28T20:05:00.003+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #49 Open House Weekend

2011-09-21T08:54:00.002+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #48 The Lost Boys

2011-09-14T08:30:00.005+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #47 Rainbow

2011-08-31T16:56:00.001+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #46 One year older

2011-08-24T09:15:00.003+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #45 South Bank Beach

2011-08-17T10:29:00.002+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #44 Regent's Canal

2011-08-08T11:54:00.002+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #43 Albert Memorial

2011-07-27T12:02:00.002+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #42 Head and the Heart

2011-07-20T08:29:00.003+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #41 Happy Penguin

2011-07-13T16:14:00.001+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #40 Tower of London

2011-07-06T11:27:00.000+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #39 locust love

2011-06-29T08:27:00.002+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #38 Row

2011-06-22T09:22:00.000+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #37 Thames

2011-06-15T10:33:00.000+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #36 Weeping Willow

2011-06-08T11:20:00.001+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #35 Day tripper

2011-06-01T08:16:00.001+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #34 Daisy Daisy

2011-05-25T08:16:00.003+01:00

wordless Wednesday#33 Ra Ra Riot

2011-05-18T00:03:00.002+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #32 Sunset Hyde Park

2011-05-11T21:57:00.005+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #31 Street Party

2011-05-04T17:24:00.001+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #30 DBZ

2011-04-27T08:46:00.002+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #29 Hyde Park

2011-04-20T15:06:00.002+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #28 Lights

2011-04-13T14:19:00.002+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #27 South Bank

2011-03-30T08:20:00.000+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #26 Spring Awakening

2011-03-23T08:07:00.001Z

Wordless Wednesday #25 Isle of Dogs

2011-03-16T23:00:00.001Z

Wordless Wednesday #24 Books Signing

2011-02-23T14:17:00.002Z

Wordless Wednesday#23 Year Of The Rabbit

2011-02-09T22:08:00.001Z

Wordless Wednesday #22 Bodiam Castle

2010-11-10T08:42:00.002Z

Wordless Wednesday #21 When Autumn leaves start to fall

2010-11-03T09:00:00.002Z

Wordless Wednesday #20 Urban Autumn

2010-10-13T13:01:00.002+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #19 22nd September

2010-09-22T08:14:00.002+01:00

Wordless Wednesday#18 - Kew Gardens

2010-09-08T14:51:00.003+01:00

Wordless Wednesday#17 Proms

2010-09-01T07:54:00.002+01:00

Wordless Wednesday#16 One year older

2010-08-18T10:48:00.000+01:00

Wordless Wednesday#15 Mont Saint-Michel

2010-08-11T19:42:00.002+01:00

Wordless Wednesday#14 Prime Meridian Greenwhich

2010-07-28T10:42:00.002+01:00

Wordless Wednesday#13 Flying Penguins

2010-07-07T08:57:00.002+01:00

Wordless Wednesday#12 St Judes in Marylebone

2010-06-30T11:11:00.000+01:00

Wordless Wednesday#11 Butterfly House London Zoo

2010-06-23T09:34:00.003+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #10 The Rosetta Stone

2010-06-09T10:33:00.001+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #9 Mystery Machine on southbank

2010-06-02T09:46:00.002+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #8 Thames Beaches

2010-05-26T09:50:00.002+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #7 Porcelain crab London Zoo

2010-05-12T08:58:00.001+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #6 Regents Park Spring

2010-05-05T08:31:00.002+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #5 Lego Indiana Hamleys

2010-04-28T08:14:00.003+01:00

wordless wednesday #4 Heron in Regents Park

2010-04-21T18:53:00.003+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #3 Holland Park

2010-04-07T14:20:00.004+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #2 Oxford Street

2010-03-31T11:10:00.004+01:00

Wordless Wednesday #1 Frodo the Frog

2010-03-17T14:56:00.006Z

Stop all the clocks

2010-02-08T08:02:00.002Z

I lost my father at the end of last year.

Life will never be the same again.

Paris is always a good idea

2009-12-14T14:01:00.005Z

There is never any ending to Paris, and the memory of each person who has lived in it differs from that of any other - Ernest Hemingway

I've just spent a few days wishing my fellow birdie friend Robin in Paris.

Being just over the channel I've had a few chances to run around this great city - and the eurostar makes the journey even easier. Though I think I may have walked my feet to death.

Since my last trip I've been longing to return to Musee d'Orsay. Now I can safely say think its one of my favorite places in the whole world.

Nothing like a nighttime stroll to give you ideas

2009-11-23T18:10:00.006Z

Now I know Harry Potter is just fiction but this past year, I've been seeing things...
And I'm sure this wasn't there before but at Kings Cross Station half hidden away...

Ink (2009)

2009-11-09T10:29:00.003Z

I read and watch a great deal of sci-fi and fantasy. So I always like to see something new and original when it comes along.

E suggested Primer the other day and though it messed with my head (time travel tends to do this to me) I still enjoyed it. Its nice to see films that don't need uber special effects to be scifi cool. Something I like about a lot of independent cinema is that they might not have the money for jaw dropping visuals but in the good ones the actors more than make up for it.

I have a cinema pass so I catch a great deal of movies, mostly Hollywood or some of the more widly distributed foreign films. In the past few years Hollywood seems like it can't produce anything truly original. Don't get me wrong I tend to like the comics of novels they are making into plentiful films but sometimes you want cinema to give you something new and unexpected. Certainly in the past 2 years its the foreign and indie films that have been the real eye openers.

Of course I enjoyed Watchmen and tonnes of others movies since but all were based on a comic, novel, short story, TV show or even a remake. Perhaps there is no original thought left - a terrible and scary concept.

By total chance I watched Ink.

I'd never heard of this film before we hit play and had no idea what to expect. E told me the reviews were good so I thought why not. I don't want to rehash the plot so it basically about a little girl who's spirit is kidnapped one night as she lies sleeping by a dark force. Her physical body slips into a coma and it seems nothing can be done for her. Her grandparents appeal to her father but he refuses to see her. The rest is best if you see for yourself.

Now the film has all the qualities of an epic - good verses evil plot going for it but it manages to delivery more. There are no instantly recognisable famous faces which an some ways lends the viewers imagination to the story even more. The actors are brilliant, they all give a very true and praiseworthy performance, holding the film together and engaging the audience.

Now the few special effects Ink has are brilliantly executed but subtle enough that the whole thing isn't dependent on them. The Incubus bad guys are strangely disturbing though you can't put your finger on why. There are two scenes which really stand out the first is a first fight sequence the second is a sort of domino effect of events. Which actually made me gasp.

Having said that Ink is a sci-fi fantasy it really comes down to being a story about a man and his daughter. The characterisation of the father is what truly makes this film excellent, its not just effects and cool ideas but poignant story of hope and redemption.

Thinking on paper

2009-10-20T07:58:00.004+01:00

Thanks to Donkey Blues, I've discovered this:

Font Capture

So now I'm typing everything in my handwriting, oh the fun you could have!

Forgive the advertising but it got me thinking. Looking at the letters I could see they were definitely mine (or course I fed the site my handwritten template) but as cool as it is it wasn't the same.

I think writing with an actual pen and paper is fast becoming a lost art.

More and more people I know find the idea of physically scribbling things down an archaic idea. Now I totally embrace the digital era, we can keep practically everything now, all these blog posts and news articles but there is something be said about jotting a few words down with your own hands. I used to write letter to my friends, doodles in the corner and all the madness of months apart stuffed into and envelope. Now we have email and isn't it wonderful! However opening an email doesn't have half the thrill of knowing it came from half a world away, letters are so personal, something to cherish.

The way you form each vowel and constant says so much about a person, do you loop your L or join up the letters, the feel of the pen tip as it scribes your thoughts forces you to think about them that much more. The mood you are in can make you slant your letter, write larger or small, carefully construct each letter or descend in to illegible scrawl.

I think half the fun of making something up be it a story or poem or anything really is getting it down of paper and crossing bits out and inserting random lines here and there, looking back through old workings. To me, we do lose something by cutting out this practice.

E is learning Mandarin at the moment and finds his hand cramps when practising the ancient characters and despite it being difficult he perseveres. It wouldn't be the same if he couldn't render that script.

Typing, texting, email and all are here to stay or be replaced by the next big thing but enjoying writing, I know I still do.

The city that never sleeps

2009-09-08T10:57:00.020+01:00

I wish I could take you with me
All the way to New York City...
We could take the subway home
And stare at our reflection in the window panes of the train
And see how much New York has changed us

- Rosie Thomas, All the way to New York City

I'm still not over the jet lag and shocked I made it anyway near the office this week. I'm still buzzing. This was my first ever trip to the Big Apple but I know it won't be my last. Now anyone who has met me knows I adore London, no matter where I am a part of me belongs there. Its like a universe unto itself. New York has the same appeal, I feel like I visited a strange new dimension, with its own rules and undefinable appeal.

As it was my first visit and E's 100th I felt like I had my own personal tour guide, so thank you for putting up with my typical excited tourist antics! Before getting there I have to admit I was nervous, what if it wasn't as amazing as all the Movies and TV had made it look. All the way over on the plane I was wishing I'd bought some of those movies with me. I could wonder through the Met or central park and catch a bit that reminded me of a scene from Keeping the Faith, not to mention classics like Breakfast at Tiffany's or An Affair to Remember (OK and Sleepless in Seattle) or hear the score from Manhattan in the back of my mind. All the books I'd read which are set in this great city really came to life for me. I think I almost caught a glimpse of Spider-man.
Of course the second I woke up on the first day and looked out the window at the yellow cabs and high rises I knew I was in love.So we got ourselves some city passes (which I high recommend) and set about seeing everything we could fit in.

Nothing came to life in the Museum of Natural History but they did have one of the best planetariums I've ever been to and the Metropolitan Museum of Art blew me away, I could wander around it forever.

By the way the way don't tell anyone by Optimus Prime is in Times Square!!

No visit would of been complete with out popping in to Midtown Comics and the Strand Bookstore so we had to indulge. Sitting on the plane home I opened up one of the Comics we bought (Ultimates Volume 2) and what should we find a few pages in but Tony Stark, Captain America and Betty Ross sitting in The Empire Diner where we had gone for waffles the night before, trust me they were awesome waffles.

The thing that stands out the most for me is the Highline, I don't know what it was but there was something magical about it.

Walking along while the summer sun was setting just fired my imagination I felt a sort of perfect calm - urban bliss if you will.
City behind, long shadows on the ground and sparrow hoping in the long grass.

Willows whiten, aspens quiver, Little breezes dusk and shiver

2009-08-19T10:00:00.003+01:00

I'm now one year older. To celebrate E took me to the J.W Waterhouse Exhibition here in London at the Royal Academy of Art.

Waterhouse is my favourite artist, he brought so many myths and poems to life for me in beautiful and unexpected ways. Sometimes when looking at some of his works (like a Mermaid below) I find it hard not to be swept away and fall into that mythical realm. I'm lucky that Tate Britain is the home to one of his most prolicfic works "The lady of Shallot (on a boat)" (1888)

Much to my dissapointment the painting I wanted to see the most "Ophelia (by the pond)" (1894) was not on display as its in a private collection, which is a real shame as I really believe art should be shared. Maybe one day I'll get to see the real this but for now this will have to do for me and everyone else.

Time waits for no one

2009-08-10T15:08:00.004+01:00

“The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once.”
- Albert Einstein

I finally got around to watching "The girl who leapt through time" (2007) last week.

Needless to say I liked it. I should probably write long review but I think its best if you just watch and judge for yourself.

The Emerald Isle

2009-07-16T12:55:00.010+01:00

I've just got back from a week in Ireland.

(Above Dun Aengus)

E, my husband is Irish even though you can't hear it in his accent. So we hop over the Irish Sea at least once or twice a year. Problem is they are only flying visits. so this year we though let take a week and see some of the West Coast (E's home) properly. Especially since we saw this episode of Coast (one of my favorite TV programmes). So I'm sharing some pics of our time...

Ireland is not somewhere you should go to by sea if like me would have a weak consitution, needless to say I was horribly sea sick but it was all worth it.

We trapsed up the Aran Isles

Wandered in Ailwee Caves

Got rained on in the Ring of Kerry

Not to mention being spoiled rotten with all the wonderful food and company.

Nature's first green is gold

2009-06-29T12:17:00.005+01:00

E and I went for a walk in the forest this weekend, needed the get away from all the stress, the buildings, the cars the madness.

Take a deep breath, listen the trees rustling in the summer breeze and birds singing

Fish are jumping

2009-05-29T09:14:00.005+01:00

May as been a long and busy month but at least the sun is here, well for the odd day at the least.

Took a walk down at Hengistbury Head a few days ago...as much as I love London sometimes I need to be by the sea

And bury my feet in the warm sand

The Gone-away World

2009-04-15T09:50:00.003+01:00

I just finished "The Gone-Away World" by Nick Harkaway. Its a hard book to define, part sci-fi part mess with your head but greatly enjoyable.

Set in world not dissimilar to our own, or at least one that starts out that way which has suffered a man-made cataclysm. The origins of the disaster are unclear for a large portion of the book but the more you read the more you learn but equally more question arise.

Humanity is left striving for life in the livable zone on the fringes of something called the Jorgmund pipe. In the beyond are horrors but what these nightmares are remain unseen until you are deep in the plot.

The novel has several elements that distinguish it from your run of the mill sci-fi. The main character is nameless and just when you are setup in a post apocalyptic wasteland you are thrown back in time - and anytime you get comfortable, think OK I see where we are, the book uproots and takes you in a new direction.

The digressions from the plot into some minor subplot or the protagonist introspective thoughts are many and long but strangely fascinating - its the sort of thing you either love or hate. I for one was hooked.

The book is refreshing, insightful and most of all a pleasure to read.

Oh and did I mention the Ninjas?

***Tell me about a book you have enjoyed recently!

There can be only one

2009-03-29T18:00:00.002+01:00

I've been up in the Highlands of Scotland recently, I love it up there...

Being Nice Destroys Lives

2009-02-26T08:12:00.003Z

I'm comfortable with the fact I'm not a "nice" person.

Even though I don't consider myself to be particularly mean or nasty either, I come to the conclusion I just can't live with nice.

Why? Well when your too nice it tends to be the only thing people say about you. Its often used as a substitute instead of saying what you actually think for feel about someone. To me that translates as "well we couldn't think of anything else to say".

Don't get me wrong, I can't stand rudeness at all but there is this horrid underbelly of overt politeness that can be infuriating. People in an attempt to be perceived as being nice, go out of there way to please others, my mother has this down to an art form and I, alas, am no exception.

Take for example the lending and borrowing of personal items. Now I'm rather particular about who I lend things to or I wish I could be, because there are people who borrow and Never ever return, people who borrow and destroy and don't care and everyone else who is capable of borrowing and returning without incident.

Anyone who knows me, know I love my books. But often I go to re-reading something and realise its been lent out and its been soo long that you can't ask for it back - nor can you say no when they ask to borrow something else (of course this depends on the relationship you have with the person). I do have friends that I can lend to and not think about it and then you get the wonderful conversation about whether they liked or hated the book, which is the whole point.

But I can't say no to the others

This is because I'm trying to not seem like an insane ungenerous cow.

I'm sure we've all done it and regretted it. I lent a first editions of a book I really loved to someone and even explained to them that it was special to me - that was 3 years ago and now they've left the country.

When really there should be no problem in asking for your things back we don't.

All of this in the name of niceness.

I could site a hundred more examples of this behaviour. Its a shame as human we just want to be liked and believe being nice will get us this status.

I'm convinced its an illness and I want rid of it.

Tweet Tweet

2009-02-16T09:31:00.004Z

Well I've been blogging rarely these days, its doesn't mean I don't love it but now I've found twitter - this could spell trouble ahead...

my words are my deeds

2009-01-23T08:32:00.006Z

I read this article this morning, about how the last speaker of a Native American language has passed away thus the language is now extinct. I couldn't but bu think how sad that it. The world has lost something valuable - so much of that people would of been held in the words they used and now its gone.

It got me thinking about all sorts of things. I love travelling but I rarely learn more then a few words of the local language (if that) before I go anywhere. Which is a lazy and arrogant thing to do, I know. I just assume that someone, where ever I'm going, will know how to speak English and help me out. More often then not they do, in Japan people bent over backwards to try and point me in the right direction to find where I'm going. I did learn to say "I am vegetarian" which I was proud of! People are very kind the world over - but I can't help but feel that globalisation is leading to the loss of so many languages, cultures and customs. Which surely is one of the reasons to travel in the first place.

I'm fluent in two languages, English and Bengali - I can understand a little Hindi and Urdu too - (Thank you Bollywood). Because of school I speak a tiny bit of French very badly (often hurting the ears of native speakers) and my Latin isn't what it used to be. Anyone who is bilingual knows the advantages, when language fails to express what you are trying to say the other can compensate. E finds it funny that I always speak to my Mum in Bengali and my Dad and English - despite them both being totally able to understand me either way. The voice in my head speaks English but I know theirs must speak Bengali.

Should I have kids (heaven help them) I know they'll speak English there first language and learn something in school but will they want to learn Bengali? Would my grandchildren?

There are people I know with the same background as me who can't speak a word of it and think that's perfectly fine, I'm sure it works for them but its a mind set I find hard to understand.

I mean at the moment there are many of us out there - that language isn't about to vanish (250 million speakers, so something like that) but eventually it will be lost to my branch of the family and that saddens me. I feel like a piece of my heritage will disappear one day.

Loss

2009-01-19T12:18:00.004Z

Thou art gone from my gaze like a beautiful dream.
And I seek thee in vain by the meadow and stream.
~George Linley

I close Friend of mine commited suicide over holidays.

She was only 25.

I don't know what happend and I don't know what drove her to it. Maybe I don't want know. She was buried a few days ago. I know I should be posisitive and think of all the wonderful things about her. She touched so many lives and was truly unique.

But I don't know how to say good bye.

She was a flame that lit up our lives,
Now only an ember that will remain in my heart forever.

So long and farewell for now...

2008-12-15T14:37:00.000Z

Proud Bookworm!

2008-11-26T16:42:00.005Z

Well who isn't a bookworm?

I've been tagged by my fellow book lover and Blogger Michelle who I worked with in a Bookshop a few years ago. We spent many an afternoon comparing books tastes - dying for new things to be printed and dressing up in as sorts (witches, angles, cats, pajamas...) for almost any event we could think of. All with horrible instant coffee, staff pick cards and paperbacks/comic books in hand.

Right now to the tag...

Rules: Pass it on to five other bloggers, and tell them to open the nearest book to page 46. Write out the fifth sentence on that page, and also the next two to five sentences. The closest book, not the coolest, or the one you think will sound the best. THE CLOSEST.
Well my nearest books is Tales from Earthsea (a collection of short stories set between Tehanu and The Other Wind) as I'm re-reading all my Ursula Le Guin books. She rocks and Earthsea is one of my many fiction hideaways.

Here goes page 46...

He ran down from the straggle of huts to the quick, noisy stream he had heard singing through his sleep all the nights in Woodedge. He prayed to it. "Take me and save me", he asked it. He made the spell the old Changer had taught him long go, and said the word of transforation. Then no man knelt by the loud-running water, but an otter slipped into it and was gone.

I don't like to tag people anymore but if you do this please please let me know I'd really like to see what everyone who drops by is reading.

SF

Losing the will to live

2008-11-25T08:54:00.003Z

Well I've just got my 5th rejection letter for my book. It is more then disheartening. Yes Many many famous authors are rejected several time before they get published and you have to keep trying. Hence why I'll be sending out another begging letter with my first 3 chapters double line spaced. The thing is, finding a publisher or even an agent for that matter who will take unsolisited manuscripts are far and few between.

I heep my book back on the slush pile and wonder what I'll do when I run out of publishers...

Pick me up, you know you want me....

2008-10-22T13:06:00.007+01:00

There is one comic book artist out there who can make me read almost anything.

I think every comic fan has their list of favourites and over time the styles change and the looks get updated. Then there are others who's work is timeless like Alex Ross.

There is also the odd issue that makes you gasp and buy it right away, for example the issue of Unccany X-men by Kia Asamiya (#417) was so cool.

I a really like Billy Tan and also more recently Jo Chen (her work on Runaways is brilliant).

But there is one who is just above the rest the great Salvador Larroca.

So here are a few pics for all to enjoy...

The deepest cut

2008-10-13T08:58:00.003+01:00

As people we live in social groups. Well most people anyway. We cluster together in villages and cities. In family units and friends circles and all sorts.

The thing about these social interactions is we have to care for other people. Family for example is closest of bonds and can excuse almost anything. Heaven's know if I wasn't blood related to some people, I would have walked out the door and never spoken to them again. I'm sure we've all been there. Friends even more so because we choose to be around them. There is no DNA link prehaps its common interests, mutual friends or a shared history at first but after a while it goes beyond that. You see the best in them and they forgive your faults and stick around anyway. Prehaps as human's we have a need to feel closer to other people and that's why we create this relationships. Why we live in communities rather then on our own. Why we call each other or strike up conversations in the strangest of places.

Friends are so important because the bonds you have to them are undefinable, they conect us to each other. For no other reason you trust them and confide in them more then you would anyone else. They are the ones you go to for comfort when you family upset you or a relationship breaks down. You drop your gaurd and invite them in, hope they'll defend you when you can't do it yourself, stand by you when your weak. So when a friend hurts you its all the more painful.

I'm just rambling of course...I guess my questions is once you've been burned by someone you thought you knew and trusted how do you pick yourself up...

Conversation Skills

2008-09-19T08:12:00.002+01:00

I get in to work at about 7:30am. To some people this is really early and to others its like "what took you so long". The only problem with this is I'm not a morning person. In fact if I don't have to go to work, wild horses couldn't drag me out of bed.

So why bother going to work at silly o'clock - well I need the time to acclimatise to people. Seriously I warn you don't speak to me, or people like me before say 10am, we just can't cope.

Someone came in the office and asked me some at 7:50 today and it took me a few mins to figure out they were talking to me (not the empty chairs) and the words coming out of their mouth were coherent and that they was smiling, even cheerful...I have but one conclusion, its not right to be gleeful before 9am people...it just doesn't compute

Do you want to Believe?

2008-08-19T11:08:00.002+01:00

I was reading this news article about famous hoaxes, it got me thinking about people and the desire to believe in things when logic tell us otherwise. One of my colleague's commented that "some people will believe anything" rolled her eyes and left. But to me I think anyone can believe anything, it just depends on prospective.

Now I believe in all sort of things I have no evidence for - many of which don't need hard proof. God for one, I believe something is up there and other people don't. That's an easy one.

But lets take something more ordinary like emotions. We trust people have emotions and people trust us to be honest with how we feel. Anyone can say "I love you" and mean it - but how do you know?

Can we have proof of things like love or hate or fear? Yet we as people believe in other peoples emotions when the only ones we can know for sure are our own feelings. Yet we still react accordingly when someone else is sad or happy - with no proof one way or another - its just people can't help but be empathetic. In fact their is a whole profession based on simulating emotions and we pay millions of pounds to see it.

Would cinema, theatre, television and fiction exist if humans weren't able to suspend reality and for 2 hours or 5 minuets believe in the impossible... How many people don't like a good movie or drama, with no basis in fact whatsoever. Humanity has a culture of story telling that goes back as far as we do. The Iliad and the Mahābhārata for example are traced back as far as the 9th century B.C and are still read and discussed today.

You could argue that we know all that stuff is made up and even though we watch and read we never really buy in and that is true to an extent. But I'm sure anyone who's cried after watching a film, felt that pang of tension as the protagonist closes in on the killer or regretted finishing book too quickly can see my point. Its not that we do believe its that we want to.

Where is all my babbling going? You see my colleges comment annoyed me. Its easy to look down from our lofty perches on those who have been duped by one thing or another. We all think that we would not ahve been taken in but aren't we all guilty of falling for something at some point. Perhaps people are taken in by hoaxes not because they are gullible but because we as human being have a desire to believe in all the possibilities the universe has to offer, rather then straight forward facts, even its its just for a moment. Prehaps we should believe nothing but I for one would find life rahter boring that way...

The Dark Knight

2008-07-28T09:46:00.003+01:00

Cinema I love - I'm sure you love it and if you happen to see a large number of movie review on my blog in the future it because I just can't help myself.

The Dark Knight came out on Friday, some or you Lucky souls with earlier release date might be thinking this old news but for me its still fresh in my mind. Christian Bale it seems has lost none of the talent he bought to Batman Begins and continues to deliver a Hero both flawed and awe inspiring.
True is not quiet the performance of The Machinist but he still brings depth to the role. I think that is why from the first batch of Batman films I loved Michael Keaton - he managed to capture just how insane and brilliant you've have to be to run around in a rubber suit hunting down criminals. Batman Returns being one of my all time favorite movies. The others (with the exception of Bale) were well just going through the motions. Poor George Clooney was only surpass in blandness by the terrible performance of Arnie as Mr Freeze, maybe I'm being too harsh but I'll leave you to judge. Before I begin my review I have to say it is a real shame about Heath Ledgers death, the world has lost a real star.

I think for a while it seemed like actors played comic book characters in a rather banal not effort sort of way. Something brilliant actors like Sir Ian McKellan and Edward Norton have shown us, is far from true. As an avid comic reader its nice to see that characters you love finally getting the portrayals they deserve.

So did Christopher Nolan manage to deliver? When Batman Begins came out I had my doubts, As I've already mentioned I loved and grew up with the Tim Burton movies and thought there was a hell of a lot to live up. Of course once I saw the film I was blown away, It was beyond any of my expectations (the Martial arts helped to). So when they announced Dark Knight I was
desperate to see if Nolan had manged to keep the wonder of the first movie.

Second parts tend to fall on their knees in trilogy/series law, a sort of in between syndrome that few things can avoid having. There was certainly no messing around here. Minuets in and the actions beings, no awful recap, not long winded this is what you missed in the meanwhile rubbish. A nice Cameo from Cillian Murphy (shame there wasn't more) and off we go.

The action sequenced didn't disappoint (though more marital arts would have been nice but I'm just nit picking). But rather then recap the whole movie scene for seen I will say the film is made by Heath Ledger. For almost the whole 2 hours I've forgotten it was an actor. The way Joker was written and Ledgers performance set this film apart. I never thought Joker could be such a scary and interesting villain. In fact I think I groaned when I heard joker was in this film but I take it all back.

Maggie Gyllenhaal was a brilliant improvement, it was nice to seen a Rachel Dawes who did something other then scowl. Harvey Dent was a nice surprise too - but I think Aaron Eckhart is really underrated. I won't give anything away but the two-face effect made me gasp. Alfred had more lines and continued as the voice of wisdom - I look forward to seeing more of him in the next one...? Gary Oldman makes Commissioner Gordon something other then the bloke who turns on the Batlight. It didn't have the wow thrill I thought I wanted but instead it gave us a Gotham and characters you could really believe and get swept away with. This movie has an even darker tone then the first and its hard not to when you think about who and what Batman
really is.

There were few unanswered questions at the end but I think Dark Knight was the precisely the edgy, clever and shadowy sequel Batman Begins deserved to have. So I'll be using my cinema pass to see it again...

later dudes SF

Myth and Legends

2008-06-24T08:50:00.003+01:00

I have a thing about myths.

I love them, reading about them finding any ties they have to history. As a kid I almost dies when I found out that Troy was a real place. My love of Myth and Legends is probably why I ended up doing a degree in Ancient History. As a kid my parents would regale me with stories from Ancient India, tale of demon's and gods and normal people getting caught up in the most extraordinary adventures. This could be why I love fantasy books so much (thank you Tolkien).

Britain has as many myth as anywhere else but there is one that I can safely say hold some international fascination and that's the Legend of King Arthur. I don't know what it is but something about that particular story has had people dreaming for a long time.

Tomorrow I'm off to Cornwall, where ancient history can bee seen with your own eyes. I'll be dragging E off to Tintagel.

I've no idea (I don't think anyone does) if this is the real Tintagel (the castle of King Marc of Cornwall) featured in the Arthurian Legends and the story of Tristan and Isolde. But a part of me wants to believe that sometime the story we are told hold some truth...

On the subject of Legends, the Red Wings won the Stanley cup this year, I'm over the Moon.

Sushi!!!!!

2008-05-30T11:20:00.002+01:00

Well its been ages since my last post. We had two weeks of glorious sun in London and then it disappeared and left us in an odd state of grey rainy days. With June round the corner I'm sure we are all hoping for a lovely summer ahead - even if we can't see it yet.

I've been working like mad and running around after my demanding family so have neglected this blog and barely read anyone elses.
The only problem with parent who care a little too much even though your 25 and married, is that they don't stop caring too much. Thus taking up all your time, I think my laptop will shun me soon for lack of attention.

Anyway here is something I LOVE, Sushi!

I ate myself silly in Japan and tonight E is making me more. Last year I sent him on a Sushi training thing for his birthday.

Great present for him...purely selfish for me...

Here is some he made earlier
Tell me something you LOVE? actually I don't mean I mean something you absolutely go insane far, have craving for and withdrawal if you don't get enough....

Heroes

2008-04-25T14:27:00.005+01:00

I've been watching the new series of Heroes, I've also had a huge comic book shipment. It's so nice to be home and have the joys and cheapness of Amazon back. Anyway it got me thinking about the question "Who is your Hero?"

Prehaps we pick people we want to be like, or people we could never become in real life who knows. There is probably a million books on the subject. I was also thinking how much I want super powers and why do people always complain when they get them!

My heroes tend to be fictional, you can give me the pyshco bable explaining this if you like but now here are my top 3.

1. SAGE
You might have noticed I use her as my Avatar, she super smart being a living computer, direct and nothing get bys her. One of those Comic characters that doesn't get as much press as she should. Check her out in New Excalibur.

2. Sydney Bristow
After 5 seasons of Alias I was more then hooked I was devoted.

3. Xena Warrior Princess
You can stop laughing, to me Xena is perfect.

Before anyone says anything I do have one male hero - Indiana Jones but I think he deserves a whole post to himself in light of Crystal Skull coming out soon.

So who is your Hero?

London Calling

2008-04-09T16:34:00.003+01:00

Greetings All, Sorry I've been quiet recently but I've moved home to London!

We left the lovely land of Oz on the Friday before Easter, 32 degrees and the sun on our faces. 24 hours later we land in the snow and high winds at Heathrow Airport. You should always worry when the pilot say something ominous like "We are going to attempt a landing".

Its been a few weeks and getting settled in, so I'll be back spoon!

Land of the Rising Sun

2008-03-20T04:21:00.003Z

I just spent the last week in Osaka and Kyoto. This was my first trip to Japan and I was completely blown away.

Another World

2008-02-21T23:44:00.005Z

A friend of mine came over to Australia to visit me, so naturally no trip over would be complete without visiting the Great Barrier Reef. Even though I've been before I was terribly excited, as soon as we were on the plane the two of us were positively giddy. After getting soaked to our skin in Cairns (Rainy Season!) the morning came and we boarded the boat that would take us out.

Even if you've been diving or snorkeling before, even if you've seen every documentary on the ocean nothing can really prepare you for how wonderful it is, the first moment you put your head in the water and look all around you. Its more then just fish or coral, its the abundance of life all around. The colors are far more vibrant then any photograph can capture the shoals of small curious fish swim right past your mask, the bigger ones just at arms reach. Creatures you didn't believe could be real are just swimming along like everything it normal. It truly is another world right here on earth and for a moment you get to glimpse it.

Unfortunately the sad reality is, the Reef is slowly being destroyed due to climate change. If something isn't done soon, the Barrier Reef will soon be nothing more then a memory.

I'm giving up Me for Mii

2008-02-04T01:04:00.000Z

There is a new thing in my life, I never expected it, at first I resisted. I came up with a million reasons not to but its allure was too strong to deny. Yes that's right I've fallen prey to the Wii.

I never had a games console of my own, my 286 PC back in the day could only handle Space Invaders and if I was lucky a DOS game called Crystal Caves. Occasionally I'd visit a friend or cousin and play something like Sonic or Prince of Persia but until E came into my life with his PS2 I never really got the whole gaming thing. Even then I was so awful that it never took hold. Until now. Like thousands before me I've been suckered in and now look forward to holding that WiiMote in my hand for hours on end. First it was Wii Sport, now the word Sport and Shadow never ever went together the only sport I like is Ice Hockey and I'm purely a spectator. We can blame School Physical Education for my hate of anything sporty but I'll save that one for therapy, if

I ever need to go. I tried to go for a run once, I think I had a heart attack instead. Imagine my surprise I find I could hit a golf ball and kick ass boxing!

Then we got Link Crossbow trainning and now I'll never look back...At least I'm exercising right?

Goodbye Old Friend

2008-01-23T01:42:00.000Z

Seamus was my husbands dog for 13 years. He'd been my friend for the past 5. His ashes arrived at the house yesterday telling us all that he was really gone. Half of me expects to find him sleeping under the desk as I type, he'll wake up and give me the "Are we going for a walk yet?" look as if nothing had happened and he'd been there all along.

Seamus was more then a pet, he was a part of the family and I'll be missing him everyday.

Home is where the Heart is...

2008-01-08T00:12:00.000Z

Its January, named for Janus, God of beginnings, endings and doorways.

I always think of this month as being rather special, it has a way of telling you how the rest of the year is going to be. I'm a real believer in starting things the way you mean to end them. Its one of the reasons I don't bother with New Year resolutions - I think if your going to do sometime you don't need to declare it, you need to just get on with it. Though I know some people find them useful but few ever keep them.

Its summer here in Australia so nice and hot rather then the frosty weather I'm used to this time of year. Normally I'd relish the heat, but the longer I'm here the more I miss London and I think January is trying to tell me something. Before I thought I hated the gloomy mist that surrounds Hyde Park at 6:45 am but now its something I long to see.

I've always felt like and outsider, at school, at work even with my own family. London was the only place I ever felt truly comfortable. Its strange that it takes living on the other side of the world to realize a great many things. I miss the noise and the feel of that large city, I love the way there are about 10-12 million people buzzing about but you still feel connected somehow.

I miss the bookshops I like to browse in with dusty shelves and hidden cafes on cobbled backstreets. I long for those magnificent pieces of the city that reflect the long passage of time, from ancients Celts, settling Romans, invading Vikings and so forth to new cultures from even further a field each with its own pocket in the city. The familiar buildings, walks, statues and gardens the modern futurist buildings of Canary Wharf to the Gothic beauty of St Pancras Station.

I had hoped to come here and experience new things and find whatever it was I thought I was lacking.

I have experienced and gained many things I couldn't or haven't been able to do before, I got my drivers license for one, I've held a bird of prey and stroked a crocodile, climbed a sort of mountain. But the longing in my heart is telling me to go home...

Have a lovely holiday all and see you in the New Year...

2007-12-23T23:37:00.000Z

(Not sure who took this pic but its amazing)

Giant Spider

2007-12-07T08:17:00.001Z

As I said in my previous post I've been trying to finish a novel but besides that I do get up to other things.

Like Laundry, I was hanging some out on the back deck the other day and rapidly running out of space, because three rather large spiders had made their homes in the washing lines and I like to leave bugs to their business. It reminded me of our recent jaunt to Mount Coot-ha, one of Brisbane's Botantical Gardens. If you ever in the area I highly recomend it, it totally free, a great place to spend the day and is home to this Lady.

I'm not sure if you can tell from the photo (thank you E for getting so close) but this is one huge Spider and Australia is literally crawling with them! But I had been told "if its not a red back or a funnel web don't worry" - they were wrong...

These Golden Orbs (at least I think its one of the genus Nephila) can grow to be massive, like our friend here and have a nasty bite, which luckily, isn't deadly. But the point is they BITE and there I was provoking not one but three! I swear their beady little eyes were gunning for me. So I've decided the washing can stay wet cos I'm staying clear of these girls...perhaps I'll get E to move them...

N.B You might have noticed I've added a little thing about comments in my sidebar, the reason being I don't like being mean and I really hate when people are mean to me...