This year will be different: the ever present chant of the procrastinator. But genuinely, I do see changes afoot in my habits regarding study and devotion to those things that pique my interest; also getting fit, but let's not talk about that now shall we? Thanks. So yeah, it has been a long hard 19 years for me to finally find out that I do actually enjoy doing some things, and now is the time that I shall grasp these things wholeheartedly and fully focus my attentions on them and see how far I can take them.
I hope in a few months that looking back on this post will not dredge up feelings of "urgh, I can't believe I said that", while I stare at the screen covered in crumbs and failing to do some important work that i should probably be doing. But alas, I may be doomed to repeat that.
This post is starting to devolve into a stream of consciousness post, when really, being as tired as I feel right now, unconsciousness is really what I crave. I should probably leave now before this descends into the literary equivalent of shit flinging monkeys, or rather - as this is a solo endeavour - one single retarded monkey sitting in a room with a mirror flinging shit at himself.
To quote the crack addled mind that is Porky Pig: "Th-th-th-th-that's all folks!"
22 July 2010
In Which Our Hero Ponders The Economic Principles Of Gastronomic Pleasure On Offer At The Picture House
So I went to see Toy Story 3 tonight, and it was absolutely incredible by the way, but I noticed something strange in the cinema that I have never really taken account of before: the astronomical price of everything in a cinema. Now I know that to most of you this will not come as a shock, but for me, as I thought about while the ads were playing, the exorbitant prices for cinemas and the trappings that come as part of the package, cannot really be justified.
I will say this much, I am more than willing to pay €10 to see a film in a cinema. Were they to bring down that price, I would not complain, but as it stands a tenner to see a film as soon as possible, in a comfortable setting with near perfect audio and extremely high picture quality without having to worry about a laptop battery dying, the chance that a DVD might skip or that your film will in someway be interrupted is definitely a luxury. There's also the feeling of sharing something that you can't get with a home viewing, which is much harder to descibe here, especially for me as I find one of the cardinal sins of the universe is to speak, make noise during or otherwise disturb a filmwatcher. But it is definitely easier to find yourself lost in a film when there are more people around you to share what you are experiencing. Films in cinemas are at a pretty good rate, and I hope that's something we can agree on, people who say that an evening of entertainment for ten euro is a rip off should try and see how far that money would take them in any other form of entertainment available to the public.
No, the problem I have here is with the foodstuffs on offer in a cinema. Popcorn and cinema go hand-in-hand and always will, barring some freakish act of nature that either renders films useless or eradicates corn from the face of the earth. In light of that, I don't understand why cinemas insist on charging such ridiculous prices for it. It's hardly golddust, and judging by the amount of people sneaking popcorn in, they would probably make a lot more money by just reducing prices to more pocket-friendly prices. Same goes for drinks and other refreshments too, when you consider the fact that the trend is for cinemas to be parked in areas like shopping centres where cheap food is usually available in the grocery shop on the way into the building housing the cinema; the savvy shopper just won't be able to justify spending that money when in two minutes they could save themselves half the cost of a ticket, and that's not even an exaggeration.
I love cinemas, really I do, and the one problem I have is that it is seldom I get to use them. I hope someone with the power to do something will eventually right this all-too-popular trend before the cinema as we know it falls by the wayside and is replaced completely by homesales. While they are trying to stem this shift in markets by offering 3D, I think the smarter option, especially with the advent of 3D TVs, which will eventually become cheaper, combined with TVs that will only get larger, and surround sound which will only increase in effectiveness and decrease in price become the norm in homes and all that will separate a cinema from a home cinema is the lack of a sense of community and the feeling of not being held by the ankles and shaken free of any spare change before settling in to watch a movie.
I will say this much, I am more than willing to pay €10 to see a film in a cinema. Were they to bring down that price, I would not complain, but as it stands a tenner to see a film as soon as possible, in a comfortable setting with near perfect audio and extremely high picture quality without having to worry about a laptop battery dying, the chance that a DVD might skip or that your film will in someway be interrupted is definitely a luxury. There's also the feeling of sharing something that you can't get with a home viewing, which is much harder to descibe here, especially for me as I find one of the cardinal sins of the universe is to speak, make noise during or otherwise disturb a filmwatcher. But it is definitely easier to find yourself lost in a film when there are more people around you to share what you are experiencing. Films in cinemas are at a pretty good rate, and I hope that's something we can agree on, people who say that an evening of entertainment for ten euro is a rip off should try and see how far that money would take them in any other form of entertainment available to the public.
No, the problem I have here is with the foodstuffs on offer in a cinema. Popcorn and cinema go hand-in-hand and always will, barring some freakish act of nature that either renders films useless or eradicates corn from the face of the earth. In light of that, I don't understand why cinemas insist on charging such ridiculous prices for it. It's hardly golddust, and judging by the amount of people sneaking popcorn in, they would probably make a lot more money by just reducing prices to more pocket-friendly prices. Same goes for drinks and other refreshments too, when you consider the fact that the trend is for cinemas to be parked in areas like shopping centres where cheap food is usually available in the grocery shop on the way into the building housing the cinema; the savvy shopper just won't be able to justify spending that money when in two minutes they could save themselves half the cost of a ticket, and that's not even an exaggeration.
I love cinemas, really I do, and the one problem I have is that it is seldom I get to use them. I hope someone with the power to do something will eventually right this all-too-popular trend before the cinema as we know it falls by the wayside and is replaced completely by homesales. While they are trying to stem this shift in markets by offering 3D, I think the smarter option, especially with the advent of 3D TVs, which will eventually become cheaper, combined with TVs that will only get larger, and surround sound which will only increase in effectiveness and decrease in price become the norm in homes and all that will separate a cinema from a home cinema is the lack of a sense of community and the feeling of not being held by the ankles and shaken free of any spare change before settling in to watch a movie.
09 June 2010
Diary of a Flightless Nerd...
Oh three o' clock, why must we always meet like this? I wish I could just sleep with you instead...
So, I've recently had the astounding revelation that I am in fact a nerd. Now to those of you who know me, this is of course no surprise to you, having told me many a time that I am, with my frequent Dungeons & Dragons sessions (for only a true nerd will captalise and use and ampersand when describing the glory that is D&D), obsession of video games, strange quirks and foibles, my despising and refusing to do any physical exertion that does not entail a monetary gain, and of course the list of other obsessions that I am currently entangled in, including but not limited to movies, theatre,comedy, literature, pop-philosphy and of course music.
While this, as I said before, will come of no shock to you, it was a bit of a shock to me, mainly because I told myself half-jokingly that I was a geek, but that secretly I was just a normal guy that liked nerdy things. And there's nothing wrong with that is there? Then things just started to happen where I couldn't deny my nerdiness any longer.
Anyway, to conclude I guess I'm saying that I have finally accepted who I am and I feel more free because of it. I just dread to tell my family, I mean a nerd in the family? What would the neighbours say? This was a bit of a shit post wasn't it? Jesus I need either write more and get some practice or write less and spare you the bother of reading this tripe. Farewell, bloghounds!
So, I've recently had the astounding revelation that I am in fact a nerd. Now to those of you who know me, this is of course no surprise to you, having told me many a time that I am, with my frequent Dungeons & Dragons sessions (for only a true nerd will captalise and use and ampersand when describing the glory that is D&D), obsession of video games, strange quirks and foibles, my despising and refusing to do any physical exertion that does not entail a monetary gain, and of course the list of other obsessions that I am currently entangled in, including but not limited to movies, theatre,comedy, literature, pop-philosphy and of course music.
While this, as I said before, will come of no shock to you, it was a bit of a shock to me, mainly because I told myself half-jokingly that I was a geek, but that secretly I was just a normal guy that liked nerdy things. And there's nothing wrong with that is there? Then things just started to happen where I couldn't deny my nerdiness any longer.
Anyway, to conclude I guess I'm saying that I have finally accepted who I am and I feel more free because of it. I just dread to tell my family, I mean a nerd in the family? What would the neighbours say? This was a bit of a shit post wasn't it? Jesus I need either write more and get some practice or write less and spare you the bother of reading this tripe. Farewell, bloghounds!
25 April 2010
Exam Time, Goddammit...
Procrastination, thy name is Aidan. So my first exam of college life is upon me on the morrow, and here I am complaining to the webular world of my woes and follies instead of buckling down to actually do some productive work...
In other news, my earliest summer ever this year, the world is my oyster and what shall I do with it? In all likelihood, absolutely nothing, but hopefully I'll gain something from the extensive dossing I will no doubt engage in. Hopefully some reading and a bit of stage or film work as well as some part time job work to fund all this chicanery.
Well, I think that's as much time as I can afford to waste writing to the cyber-abyss that is the blogosphere, I must depart and return to my scholarly duties. As I close this brief update on the life of a lazy engineer, the sky is darkening and closing on my location, with rough weather to follow, hopefully not a foreshadowing of events to follow. Catch you on the other side as they say. Toodle-pip!
In other news, my earliest summer ever this year, the world is my oyster and what shall I do with it? In all likelihood, absolutely nothing, but hopefully I'll gain something from the extensive dossing I will no doubt engage in. Hopefully some reading and a bit of stage or film work as well as some part time job work to fund all this chicanery.
Well, I think that's as much time as I can afford to waste writing to the cyber-abyss that is the blogosphere, I must depart and return to my scholarly duties. As I close this brief update on the life of a lazy engineer, the sky is darkening and closing on my location, with rough weather to follow, hopefully not a foreshadowing of events to follow. Catch you on the other side as they say. Toodle-pip!
24 March 2010
Blog Tied
Mmmm, so here we are, another month, another blog post. I promised I'd get better, or at least more regular at posting, I lied it seems. I've been spending a lot of time pondering recently, which is odd, because that would suggest that I actually have time to spare in which to ponder. Life is pretty busy these days, so much so that for the first time, I have had to back out of a relatively long term project I'd been comitted to. This severely annoys me, but if this college thing is ever going to go away then I'll have to study.
Theatre is taking up more and more of my life these days, and you know what, I am fucking glad. I love working at stuff like that, it just feels right. If I can somehow make money from working in a theatre or in some form of performance art, even if it is just in a techie role, then I'll be a happy man for years to come. Hopefully my sort of uncertain application to be the director of next years musical will come good and I can throw myself into bossing people around.
Super Secret Project will be getting underway soon enough, once the end of college gives me enough time to look at things that don't relate to the real world. It isn't actually super secret anymore, I've been telling a few close friends about it, and have gotten positive reactions to the premise. Get a rough draft of that bad boy drawn up, and see where I can take it from there, hopefully to somewhere fun.
I've been watching a lot of MovieBob's Game Overthinker videos on youtube recently. On major problem I have with these is that there aren't more. The guy, while not exactly the voice of a generation by a longshot, and some of his views and vehement defending of the army aren't exactly my thing, he is seriously doing videogames a massive service by opening the floor to debate on adult things, such as violence in videogames, the depiction of women, the change in videogames, and how the videogames market needs to expand its audience rather than adapt to the "hardcore" gamers. Games are an artform, and I will defend that point until I am blue in the face if I have to. I really wish there were things I could say that wouldn't just be repeating or extrapolating on what MovieBob himself has said, so I urge you, if you ever think you may need to defend videogaming as a whole, or just wish to become more informed on the topics in general, to check out The Game Overthinker. Videogames aren't just about pwning n00bs you know, ask anyone who's played Half-Life 2, or BioShock. If those two, among many other titles I could name, don't give videogames artistic merit, I don't know what does. (Also, if you'd like a kind of intelligent "everyman" type of review of good films that don't really get publicity on this side of the pond, you could do worse than to check out MovieBob's film reviews on The Escapist. I've mentioned this site before in my blog, for you hardcore readers, and have become even more infatuated with its overall love of all things pixelated and polygonal. If you haven't done so, check it out.)
I think that's all for now folks, and unless I decide to post something about my exams, it will be all for at least two weeks if not a month. I know I said I would get better, but my sort of vague rule about not posting about other people means my blog depends entirely on me being interesting, and that just won't happen I'm afraid. See you next time!
Theatre is taking up more and more of my life these days, and you know what, I am fucking glad. I love working at stuff like that, it just feels right. If I can somehow make money from working in a theatre or in some form of performance art, even if it is just in a techie role, then I'll be a happy man for years to come. Hopefully my sort of uncertain application to be the director of next years musical will come good and I can throw myself into bossing people around.
Super Secret Project will be getting underway soon enough, once the end of college gives me enough time to look at things that don't relate to the real world. It isn't actually super secret anymore, I've been telling a few close friends about it, and have gotten positive reactions to the premise. Get a rough draft of that bad boy drawn up, and see where I can take it from there, hopefully to somewhere fun.
I've been watching a lot of MovieBob's Game Overthinker videos on youtube recently. On major problem I have with these is that there aren't more. The guy, while not exactly the voice of a generation by a longshot, and some of his views and vehement defending of the army aren't exactly my thing, he is seriously doing videogames a massive service by opening the floor to debate on adult things, such as violence in videogames, the depiction of women, the change in videogames, and how the videogames market needs to expand its audience rather than adapt to the "hardcore" gamers. Games are an artform, and I will defend that point until I am blue in the face if I have to. I really wish there were things I could say that wouldn't just be repeating or extrapolating on what MovieBob himself has said, so I urge you, if you ever think you may need to defend videogaming as a whole, or just wish to become more informed on the topics in general, to check out The Game Overthinker. Videogames aren't just about pwning n00bs you know, ask anyone who's played Half-Life 2, or BioShock. If those two, among many other titles I could name, don't give videogames artistic merit, I don't know what does. (Also, if you'd like a kind of intelligent "everyman" type of review of good films that don't really get publicity on this side of the pond, you could do worse than to check out MovieBob's film reviews on The Escapist. I've mentioned this site before in my blog, for you hardcore readers, and have become even more infatuated with its overall love of all things pixelated and polygonal. If you haven't done so, check it out.)
I think that's all for now folks, and unless I decide to post something about my exams, it will be all for at least two weeks if not a month. I know I said I would get better, but my sort of vague rule about not posting about other people means my blog depends entirely on me being interesting, and that just won't happen I'm afraid. See you next time!
16 February 2010
Reviews of Things That Have Been Out For Ages, Just 'Cos I Like To...
So, I haven't been writing in a while, and I think that's mostly because I don't feel like writing about the things that have been happening in my life (obviously enough, I know), but I've decided to pierce the blogosphere once again with a few reviews of things that i found interesting lately. Enjoy, or alternatively, memorise it and recite it aloud in front of a group of people and call it art. I won't judge how you amuse yourself.
FTWebsites: Stuff I've found on this here internet...
Somewhere that usually cheers me up when I get tired of the same old stuff on Facebook is a nice little parody site of it called Lamebook. In a similar vein to TFLN (another stalwart mirth-giver in times of boredom), it chronicles the various mishaps that one could imagine transpiring on such a vast social networking site as that of Facebook. A personal favourite section of mine is the "FTW" section. Watching random people you don't know get their asses digitally handed to them is a fun way to waste a few minutes.
FTWatch This: Films...
Office Space, one of the greatest cult classics to come out of the 1990s. It stands up there beside Big Nothing and Dogma as one of the greatest films to be either underrated or unknown on this side of the Atlantic. Office Space is the story of Peter Gibbons, a white collar worker who does the bare minimum to keep his job. He then experiences a re-awakening, and decides to live life, and not care about work as well as hatching a plan to embezzle money from the company he does so little work for. The resultant hour and a half of film is one of the most re-watchable, entertaining, and charming pieces of film I've ever seen, word of warning though, if dry humour and awkward moments aren't your thing it's probably best to give this one a miss. Sample quote:
Peter Gibbons: So I was sitting in my cubicle today, and I realized, ever since I started working, every single day of my life has been worse than the day before it. So that means that every single day that you see me, that's on the worst day of my life.
Dr. Swanson: What about today? Is today the worst day of your life?
Peter Gibbons: Yeah.
Dr. Swanson: Wow, that's messed up.
Also, as a closing note to the film section, I'd like to add that I got my hands on a copy of the film of "Atlantis" by Disney, to show someone what I meant by the phrase "Steampunk". While I didn't find anything that really resembled steampunk (I remembered after it was actually "Treasure Planet" I was thinking of, but that's another story), what I did find was a Disney classic that is oft overlooked, possibly because it doesn't have any musical numbers. The whole movie was superbly animated, moved at a steady pace, was genuinely funny and left me wanting more at the end. If you get the time, I'd strongly recommend it.
FTWritings: Literary section, 'coz i iz awl ejukaytid innit?
Okay, so as most of you know, I am obsessed by this little book called "The Yesman", by a certain fellow whom we shall address as one Daniel Frederick Wallace Esquire. Danny has written a few books, each as humorous as the last, and all of them well worth a look if the mood for a side split inducing read should strike, but The Yesman strikes a particular chord with me. It may have been the place I was in when reading it first, but it really made me look at my life, take stock and realise that I needed to do more. And what I needed to do was to say Yes. But back to the book: Danny finds himself in a position wherein he is saying no to everything his friends suggest, be it gigs, parties or just a night down the pub, greatly disquiets our positive hero as he reviews his diary to find it lacking in any days of noteworthy quality (save for one riveting read about a trip to PC World, but I'll let you read about that one yourselves). He then by chance meets a stranger on a bus who tells him simply to "Say Yes More". This becomes Danny's mantra for the next several months and through the course of the book. While the film of the same name was a fun romp into the various mishaps one would doubtless meet over the course of saying yes to absolutely everything, it missed out on the true soul of the book for me, which is that saying no can only lead to nights alone, and wondering what could have been, whereas yes, if it doesn't lead to something good, at least leads to a story to tell and a more interesting life. My all time favourite book, so it goes without saying that I would wish that anyone who reads this read it, and if they get even a fraction of the enjoyment out of it that I did, then I'll be happy I recommended it.
FTWhatever, I'm sick of this now: Music, and sounds that please the ears...
Yes she's been around for ages, and yes we all know she's wonderful, but Adele... what can I say about this girl that hasn't already been said? Her music is just so awe inspiring and soothing that I could listen to it forever. I don't think I can say much more about her, but I will leave you with the song that got me (and possibly the majority of people) listening to her in the first place.
FTWebsites: Stuff I've found on this here internet...
Somewhere that usually cheers me up when I get tired of the same old stuff on Facebook is a nice little parody site of it called Lamebook. In a similar vein to TFLN (another stalwart mirth-giver in times of boredom), it chronicles the various mishaps that one could imagine transpiring on such a vast social networking site as that of Facebook. A personal favourite section of mine is the "FTW" section. Watching random people you don't know get their asses digitally handed to them is a fun way to waste a few minutes.
FTWatch This: Films...
Office Space, one of the greatest cult classics to come out of the 1990s. It stands up there beside Big Nothing and Dogma as one of the greatest films to be either underrated or unknown on this side of the Atlantic. Office Space is the story of Peter Gibbons, a white collar worker who does the bare minimum to keep his job. He then experiences a re-awakening, and decides to live life, and not care about work as well as hatching a plan to embezzle money from the company he does so little work for. The resultant hour and a half of film is one of the most re-watchable, entertaining, and charming pieces of film I've ever seen, word of warning though, if dry humour and awkward moments aren't your thing it's probably best to give this one a miss. Sample quote:
Peter Gibbons: So I was sitting in my cubicle today, and I realized, ever since I started working, every single day of my life has been worse than the day before it. So that means that every single day that you see me, that's on the worst day of my life.
Dr. Swanson: What about today? Is today the worst day of your life?
Peter Gibbons: Yeah.
Dr. Swanson: Wow, that's messed up.
Also, as a closing note to the film section, I'd like to add that I got my hands on a copy of the film of "Atlantis" by Disney, to show someone what I meant by the phrase "Steampunk". While I didn't find anything that really resembled steampunk (I remembered after it was actually "Treasure Planet" I was thinking of, but that's another story), what I did find was a Disney classic that is oft overlooked, possibly because it doesn't have any musical numbers. The whole movie was superbly animated, moved at a steady pace, was genuinely funny and left me wanting more at the end. If you get the time, I'd strongly recommend it.
FTWritings: Literary section, 'coz i iz awl ejukaytid innit?
Okay, so as most of you know, I am obsessed by this little book called "The Yesman", by a certain fellow whom we shall address as one Daniel Frederick Wallace Esquire. Danny has written a few books, each as humorous as the last, and all of them well worth a look if the mood for a side split inducing read should strike, but The Yesman strikes a particular chord with me. It may have been the place I was in when reading it first, but it really made me look at my life, take stock and realise that I needed to do more. And what I needed to do was to say Yes. But back to the book: Danny finds himself in a position wherein he is saying no to everything his friends suggest, be it gigs, parties or just a night down the pub, greatly disquiets our positive hero as he reviews his diary to find it lacking in any days of noteworthy quality (save for one riveting read about a trip to PC World, but I'll let you read about that one yourselves). He then by chance meets a stranger on a bus who tells him simply to "Say Yes More". This becomes Danny's mantra for the next several months and through the course of the book. While the film of the same name was a fun romp into the various mishaps one would doubtless meet over the course of saying yes to absolutely everything, it missed out on the true soul of the book for me, which is that saying no can only lead to nights alone, and wondering what could have been, whereas yes, if it doesn't lead to something good, at least leads to a story to tell and a more interesting life. My all time favourite book, so it goes without saying that I would wish that anyone who reads this read it, and if they get even a fraction of the enjoyment out of it that I did, then I'll be happy I recommended it.
FTWhatever, I'm sick of this now: Music, and sounds that please the ears...
Yes she's been around for ages, and yes we all know she's wonderful, but Adele... what can I say about this girl that hasn't already been said? Her music is just so awe inspiring and soothing that I could listen to it forever. I don't think I can say much more about her, but I will leave you with the song that got me (and possibly the majority of people) listening to her in the first place.
06 January 2010
Hair Of The Blog That Bit You
First post of Twenty-Ten. That is right folks, it is officially the future! And the future is looking bright if I do say so myself. The Players run of "In The Sawtooths" starts in just over a week and a half, and with a little bit of luck, everything will go smoothly, and then hopefully with enough money, luck and pixie farts we can make it to the Endinburgh Festival, which would be nothing short of awesome if it happens.
On a lighter, whiter note, Dublin has come to a standstill thanks to a little bit of snow. It looks incredible, but though aesthetically pleasing, the local government does not see it as so, and prefers to shut down all transport services in the area. Oh well, the walks are more interesting in the snow, which makes the walks that little bit easier. It seems that even snow clouds have silver linings.
Don't really have a lot more to say, what with Sawtooths consuming time like nobody's business. I'll try to keep up my resolution of blog more, and blog better. See you next time, same Blog-time, same Blog-channel.
So long Bloghounds!
On a lighter, whiter note, Dublin has come to a standstill thanks to a little bit of snow. It looks incredible, but though aesthetically pleasing, the local government does not see it as so, and prefers to shut down all transport services in the area. Oh well, the walks are more interesting in the snow, which makes the walks that little bit easier. It seems that even snow clouds have silver linings.
Don't really have a lot more to say, what with Sawtooths consuming time like nobody's business. I'll try to keep up my resolution of blog more, and blog better. See you next time, same Blog-time, same Blog-channel.
So long Bloghounds!
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