Infrequency Dissolved

I warned you about this blog, but on reading a thank you note from someone for updating from a week ago, I decided to go again. For this to work, I upload this to an old FTP site, then copy the whole site to my computer, then I upload it to my current, non-working server, bypassing the bloggerblocker that has delayed all of my updates.

Joy indeed.

Anyway, I'll post what's been on my mind recently.

I've been to the cinema twice this week. That's a lot more than I have been for a while, but it's a good time for movies. I still haven't seen MI3, and my sister won't go with me out of principal, but I did get to see XMen 3, which I thought was better than the first, but not as good as the second. My recommendation is to stay after the credits.

I also saw the Da Vinci Code, which brought about its share of grievances. Upon entering with Housei, Emma and Dan, Emma instantly made a bee line for the back of the cinema, while I would have preferred sitting near the front. Despite there being a compromise-friendly set of four seats in the middle, they insisted on three rows from the back, which would make the screen smaller than my TV. I don't pay money for movies if they're going to be smaller than what I have at home, so I abandoned them in favour of the front row centre option, which didn't crane my neck or hurt my eyes. I really don't know why people insist on entering different levels of atmosphere in order to see films. I was also left watching alone, which is never preferable.

But let's look at it as a film. I have heard and read from so many people about how terrible the book is, and how correspondingly bad the film is. People seem to absolutely hate this man and the pages he's turned out. I have asked why, and people give different reasons. The reasons seem to be that it has no literary merit and is popularised by controversy alone, and Dan Brown has made his fortune with no real talent. I haven't read the book, it's not the kind of novel I like. But I saw the film, and I tend to feel like... what's all the fuss about, the love and the hate?

It's a well thought out yarn. He hasn't broken any moulds, I saw a lot of it coming (and I'm not usually good with that), and I'd already seen Dogma so the twist lost its effect. But it's an entertaining watch, and from what I hear, a page turner. It's pulp fiction that happened to get a lot of press because people have taken it too seriously. But I don't understand why everyone who hates it takes it so far. The church bans it in certain areas and forces more prominent disclaimers about its accuracy, and other people spend so much energy hating it and telling others to hate it... why? At least the church has an excuse of blind faith driving it. Surely there or things with less merit that are more popular and worth hating? What about Big Brother Seven? What about the World Cup? The entertainment market is saturated with shallow and substance-free material that far exceeds the lack of talent that Dan Brown has.

Are talentless rich people even worth hating at all? Isn't there enough crap in the world to be pissed at before we start tearing apart unworthy authors? It seems that hating Dan Brown is quite a popular thing to do right now, just while JK Rowling is out of the limelight for a while.

My advice to people who are tempted to be drawn into the hype is: it's hardly a groundbreaker, but it's a fun movie excursion. It's better than a lot of films being made, it's just a little long. The advice that people give about this film is not to believe it or its facts and that it is just a piece of fiction. That is true, and it always has been, just like Shrek or Fargo or any other film.

Sorry, that was just a counter-rant to all the hatred I've heard and seen. It just doesn't seem worth it.

I have been in need of a good massage for a while now. I flew my kite again, that always hurts my back muscles. I'm glad I wore a cheap (DHARMA) shirt, I was dragged for ages by my kite during some gusts. Dan and I met some other kite flying while we were there, and they were quite serious about it. One of them let my fly his 6.6 metre kite. If you need some kind of scale, that's six point six metres. That had pull. I took off properly with that thing. I mean, it takes ages to turn in comparison, but it's a serious beast.

I need to speak to Yukina or Jenny or Erin soon, so if any of you are online, message me. Or call me. My number hasn't changed.

I now have a flickr account, so all my outrageous tales are more frequently documented visually, and always accessible, since I can update them from my phone.

In honesty with you people, I have to say, I'm not sure I can keep these updates up at all. It involves a lot of FTP stuff, and I hate it because I have to change so many settings and I keep reinstalling clients. I update when I can, but savour what you read, for it is gold dust in your hands: fleeting, and in short supply. Oh, and awesome.

I want to buy a Delorean. I will begin saving.

I will try and make an update every so often, but I've spent an hour writing this, so I hope you all enjoy. Miss you guys.

I Found a Workaround

Right, I'm republishing my blog.

It's been dead for months. I regretted that, and have complained to my hosting company on numerous occasions to no avail. I remember times when I would fill my loyal readership in on every detail that my life went though, but... I have a server upload limit.

So here it is: my first real post since January, and it feels wrong to update so late. I have had a mixed time, and I personally don't feel like sharing all of my feelings publicly. I made a private diary of how I felt, and that stays private. I have spoken to so many people in the past months that have told me that they have missed reading my blog. Well, I can count two, and that's enough to make me want to say hello to a few people who have checked everyday to see if I've updated, and who I haven't seen for a while.

Yukina: I remember how this blog used to make it so when we spoke in real life, I didn't have anything new to say to you. I'm sorry I missed talking to you the other day, we keep making arrangements, and one day we'll follow through.

Carlos: You seemed to miss my updates too, and since I haven't seen you in a while, maybe it'd be easier to communicate this way. Miss you man.

Julia: You say you check everyday, which I doubt, but it made me laugh anyway. Come back to London, girl, it's not the same.

Jenny: I'm glad I spoke to you of recent, and I noticed you invited me to your hi5, which I may sign up to. Speak to you soon.

Emma: What am I talking about? You never bloody check this and I see you everyday.

Yayoi: I don't know if you do still read this, but if you do, drop me an email. it'd be good to hear from you. I lost your email when you went to Aus.

CM and Hap: Neither of you are important enough to warrant your own section, and I thinkof you as a singular entity anyway.

And I have a faithful posse who don't check as much because they see me all the time anyway, so I don't need to shout to them, but I will say hi to Dan, who has been an excellent friend to me, and I know is always there, because he rules as a person.

...

It's been months, and I probably could have figured out this workaround had I thought about it, but I didn't. I wasn't very motivated to change it, I didn't feel that I ought to, I just left it at the "Thank God finally" post, which was ironic. I was stuck in internet limbo, and internet homeless, I didn't have a key to my own front door of my homepage, and it sucked. IXWebHosting still hasn't resolved its Blogger issues, and for that I curse them.

It was my birthday. I got a new kite, which was very cool. I have been lfying my dad's old parafoil, but this new parafoil, it just has a bit more pull. I almost went across the whole of Richmond park in very little wind. It's a good thing. I also have a new watch, and if I read it now, the time is: 0011 000011, which is binary for 3:03. Not bad. I thank Becky for that wonderfully geeky idea.

Anyway, as it's 3:03 and I have a Database Management Systems lecture in the morning, I leave you there.

Hope you enjoy the update. It's unlikely I'll do them as frequently as I used to, but keep your e-eyes open.