Quality 'culcha'

Nice day spent seeing two very good cultural things...

First up was The Glasgow Boys at the Royal Academy with Nicola - very good and some great paintings. Very busy tho - but that does come of going the weekend before the exhibition ends...

Next up was The King's Speech with Jackie. Brilliant film - it has to be a shoe-in for an Oscar for Colin Firth, and Geoffrey Rush is also very good. Would absolutely recommend it - a fascinating story. I remember Mum talking about the abdication and how upset Nana was - that period has featured a lot in things I've seen recently so I might read a bit more about it.

Don't miss it!

Astonishing human endeavour

This has been a weekend of films relating to extraordinary human endeavour - both of which I'd greatly recommend.

First up was 127 Hours - despite knowing what happens, and so waiting the whole film for the 'act' to happen, it was still very very good. Showing Aron reaching the point where he has to do what he does is so well done - does make you wonder how much you would do to survive.

And on that theme I then went to see The Way Back today - I hadn't planned to spend my weekend watching two such full on movies, but today's was already in the diary, and 127 Hours was a spur of the moment thing.

There has been a bit of controversy surrounding The Way Back - was the book it was based on really true etc. This is an interesting piece on the whether it is true or not... However I really enjoyed it, although it did feel long - a bit like their walk :-). But again, showing what people can do and will do to survive. Fascinating film viewing.

Starting 2011 in a busy-ish fashion

As I type the spectre of work again tomorrow is looming over me... But I have been fairly productive with the first few days of 2011 :-).

And I have many plans for the year as well - including blogging a bit more! 2010 was my lowest number of blog entries since I started... so I'll just have to make sure I have stuff to blog about!

The Big Sleep

Met up with Julia for lunch and we then went to see 'The Big Sleep' at the BFI. It was great! I'd seen it before, years ago, but was wonderful to watch it again. The dialogue was great - and so fast! I also loved the bloodless shootings - so much nicer than the bloodbaths we get nowadays.

My favourite bit was when they both admit they love each other "I guess its because I'm in love with you". Brilliant :-).

And again - I hadn't been to a movie at the BFI for years. Rediscovering things on your doorstep - great cinema, nice bar and restaurant. Might be going back there methinks!

Polesden Lacey

Polesden Lacey
Originally uploaded by Megan Shields.

The house from the distance.

First walk of 2011

Headed out with Jackie, Nicola and Sarah to do the first walk of the year - an easy 10 miles in Surrey, not far down the track from me.

This took us past Polesden Lacey where we had a very nice lunch. Didn't go into the house tho - wanted to make sure we could get the walk done while there was still enough light in the day. It was a nice walk - nothing really outstanding. As I've commented before, walking in Surrey often means you don't feel like you are getting that far away from civilization as you see the world out walking their dogs...

But it was great to get out, stretch the legs and get some fresh air and catch up with everyone about their Xmas and New Year!

Finishing the trilogy

On New Year's Day I hauled my slightly sorry carcass to the cinema to see the final film in the Lisbeth Salander trilogy.

I had seen the first two at the cinema so really wanted to make sure I caught the last one as well. I thought 'Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest' was very good. Finished it nicely and didn't mess with the storyline too much. I did feel a sense of completion!

On a related note, Maya bought be a spoof book for Xmas - called 'The Dragon with the Girl Tattoo'... Lisbeth becomes 'Lizbreath Salamander' - it actually looks quite funny!

Bidding farewell to another decade

And so 2010 is drawing to a close (although as I type it has already 'closed' in New Zealand).

This is one year that I'm going to be happy to see the back of. Although for me personally it hasn't been too bad, a lot of my friends have had a VERY tough year, and that can't help but affect my view of it as well. I'm going to be quite happy to see midnight roll around a new year full of opportunity and change and hope begin.

Nowhere near enough walking for me this year - want to improve on that in 2011. Also didn't get to anywhere near enough gigs either...

I do have some highlights tho :-)

• Weekend in Prague in February - loved Prague!
• Exercising - although I'm sure Damian (instructor) thinks I'm pretty hit & miss in my attendance, I've loved getting into the boxing and circuit classes
• Coastal walking down in Cornwall
• NZ doing so well in the Football World Cup :-)
• Camping again for the first time in however many years!
• Tea at the Ritz
  
• Philippa coming to stay
• Seville - my love affair with Spain continues...
• Keeping in touch with a new friend made on my holiday to Egypt - we're both rubbish emailers and she doesn't live in London but we're making it work
• Some good films seen at the cinema rather than on DVD: Up In The Air, Avatar, Invictus, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Crazy Heart, The Blind Side, The Ghost, Robin Hood (OK - that is pushing 'good' a bit - but I do like a bit of Russell Crowe!), The Girl Who Played with Fire, The Social Network, The Kids Are Alright, Easy A
  
• And likewise, some great films: Kick Ass, Inception, Toy Story 3, Harry Potter 7a, Of Gods and Men
• Standout gigs - I hardly went to any this year :-( - Wilco and Hot Chip

N-N-N-N Now thats what I call music!

Of course that title will probably be lost on NZ readers if they don't get those compilations in Kiwi-land as well...

Anyhow - so I've burnt through the letter N on my ipod pretty darn quick.

Narcissus Road - The Hours
Nashville - Josh Rouse
Neon Bible - Arcade Fire
Neu! 75 - Neu!
Never Said Goodbye - Cerys Matthews
Nevermind - Nirvana
New Adventures in Hi-Fi - R.E.M.
The Night Before - James
Nightfreak & the Sons of Becker - The Coral
Nineteeneighties - Grant Lee Phillips
Nixon - Lambchop
No, You C'mon - Lambchop
Noble Beast - Andrew Bird
A Northern Soul - The Verve
Northern Star - Melanie C

Standouts? I loved 'Nineteeneighties' by Grant Lee Phillips - great covers of songs I grew up with. Very cool. 'Narcissus Road' - still one of my all time fave albums. I think The Hours are just fantastic. Neu! was interesting - Kevin's talked to me about them a bit, but I'd not heard them. Didn't hate it! And 'Nevermind' by Nirvana - its been a long time since I've listened to that - stands the test of time though.

Another thing I've learnt doing this is how annoying 'hidden' tracks are. As I have to listen to everything, there have been a couple of albums where I've had 10-15 minutes of complete silence as it works its way towards the hidden track. Very very boring...

Well thats Xmas done for another year...

And so it is already 27 December and Xmas is done and dusted for another year. Slightly different this year as Maya had to work so she didn't get to mine until about 6pm on Xmas Day. Chris arrived on Xmas Eve so we just chilled out during the day watching TV, making the trifle (me), making the dinner (Chris).

We had yet another delish meal created by Chris and then just relaxed watching the Xmas TV specials - Dr Who and Top Gear! Maya was crashed out by 11pm - cumulation of lots of longs days catching up with her.

Boxing Day was spent much the same way - lazing around my lounge, eating leftovers and watching TV :-).

Very chilled out, very relaxed. I wonder where I'll be next year...?

Mhairi set me a Xmas challenge following my 'Where's my Xmas mojo' post. For those who haven't read it, here it is...

You sound like you need a Christmas bingo challenge!

1. Visit and photograph the Christmas windows at Liberty, Selfridges and Harvey Nichols.

2. Eat three out of the following
a) mince pie
b) brandy butter
c) candy cane
d) mulled wine
e) Christmas pudding
f) egg nog

3. Sit on Santa's lap and get your photo taken

4. Put up a Christmas tree or at least some decorations

5. Listen to Do They Know It's Christmas at least five times

6. Put a bit of tinsel on your hat or lapel

Let me know how you get on!

The weather is somewhat scuppering my efforts, but I can state that I have had mince pies, and have put up my Xmas tree :-). Slow but steady process - although I'm not sure I'll complete the list before the 25th...

Pretty sparkly Xmas tree

Pretty sparkly Xmas tree
Originally uploaded by Megan Shields.

My pretty sparkly pink xmas tree with the first of the pressies under it - not all for me tho. There's a few there for Maya and Chris :-).

Weather obsessive...

You can't help but be one in this country - particularly at the moment. This is shaping up to be a crazy winter - two nasty cold snaps with lots of snow already, and we're not even in January yet. I woke up on Saturday morning to a full on snow storm and lots of snow already on the ground... A real winter wonderland.

I can't help but think about this time last year - Saturday was the day I went to Egypt - if it had been this year, I think I'd be one of those poor people stuck at Heathrow :-( . I've got friends who have had flights home for Xmas cancelled, and others stuck at the airport waiting to head off for holiday to Australia... this weather really really sucks. It may look pretty at times, but it causes so much grief for so many people.

I am just so pleased that I'm not travelling this year - my biggest hurdle is getting to and from work fortunately.

Snowy back garden

Snowy back garden, Dec 18th 2010
Originally uploaded by Megan Shields.

Dec 18th 2010

Close up of snowy tree from my lounge window

Close up of snowy tree from my lounge window, Dec 18th 2010
Originally uploaded by Megan Shields.

Dec 18th 2010

Where is my Xmas mojo?

Who knows, but it seems to have well and truly left me...

I started off this season determined to throw myself into the swing of things, but it just hasn't happened - and I'm not feeling the yuletide-ness at all.

I did go to my work party this year which was fun - it was black tie-ish, so I dressed up and put on some heels which was good. Although by the end of the evening I was taking them off to rest my feet!

I am looking forward to stopping work though! And there are a couple of things I still want to do - a visit to the Winter Wonderland and a trip to the Panto might change things hopefully!

Mmmmmm....

So the M's have been completed...

A Mad and Faithful Telling - DeVotchKa
Made in the Dark - Hot Chip
Made of Bricks - Kate Nash
Magic & Medicine - The Coral
The Magic Numbers - The Magic Numbers
Magical Mystery Tour - The Beatles
Make Another World - Idlewild
Mal de Terre - The Mamaku Project
Mander Salis - The Snake The Cross The Crown
Maplewood - Ed Harcourt
Marshmallow - Marshmallow
Master and Everyone - Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
Med Sud i Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust - Sigur Ros
Melting Pot - Charlatans
Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever - Cribs
Mermaid Avenue Vol 1 & 2 - Billy Bragg and Wilco
Micah P. Hinson & The Red Empire Orchestra - Micah P. Hinson
Miles From - Richmond Fontaine
Millionaires - James
Moderat - Moderat
Monster - R.E.M
Monsters of Folk - Monsters of Folk
Moondance - Van Morrison
More Adventurous - Rilo Kiley
Morning Glory: The Tim Buckley Anthology - Tim Buckley
Moseley Shoals - Ocean Colour Scene
Mother Nature Calls - Cast
Moulin Rouge - Original Soundtrack
Moving - Eight
Mr Love & Justice - Billy Bragg
Murmur - R.E.M
Music From the North Country: The Jayhawks Anthology - The Jayhawks
Mutton Birds - The Mutton Birds
My Maudlin Career - Camera Obscura
Myths of the Near Future - Klaxons

So what did I think of the Ms? I learnt that 33 Tim Buckley songs is way too many... but 40 Jayhawks songs was much more easy to listen to :-). A few oldies in there - Ocean Colour Scene are always a good listen, REM, the Mermaid Avenue albums. Really enjoyed DeVotchKa, Richmond Fontaine and the Bonnie 'Prince' Billy album as well. And I love the Camera Obscura album as well - definitely one to listen to.

My snowy street on the way home after Stewart Lee - its much worse now!!

Just a bit of snow...

You may have seen on the news the cold snap that the UK is currently suffering from. It has been a surreal few days. Started to get really cold just before the end of November, and the first snow had fallen in November - unheard of! When I first arrived over here, it was years before we had a decent snowfall, and now we're getting them every year.

There has been lots on the news about how this is 'extraordinary circumstances' - which is what they always say - its just every year its a different circumstance. This year it is the 'third rail' apparently. Because the transport system has completely ground to a halt (again).

I did manage to get into work today, but after spending two hours getting there and two hours getting home I've decided to work from home tomorrow...

Worst thing about it (from my own selfish perspective) is that Fin is meant to arrive from Ireland tomorrow and we were all going out for drinks and dinner. Given that Gatwick has been shut for the last 3 days, I don't think its going to happen somehow :-(.

Cinema-tastic

Been to a couple of good movies recently. First up was Harry Potter 7 - which geekily I went to see on the opening day :-). Fortunately I have my HP geek friend Kevin to go with as well, as I knew that Maya would be working!

I really enjoyed it - thought it was very well done. Didn't feel too long, thought it finished at a good spot (and yes I did get a bit teary), and overall was very well done.

Also went to see Easy A - independent film, weaving in The Scarlet Letter and modern teenage morality. Very good - lots of funny references to teenage movies from the 80s as well. Definitely worth a look.

Next up will be The American, and the final Lisbeth Salander movie - both of which I'm really looking forward to!