I had a cold last week. It was one of those ones that started as a bit of a sniffle then developed into the brain fogging, throat trashing, can’t quite cough enough type of cold that is supremely irritating. It also meant that walking, let alone cycling, anywhere suddenly took on a whole new challenge as I thought either my lungs were going to explode or my heart was going to pack it’s bags and wave bye bye.

This did not put me in a good mood. One because it meant that my lips got dry and chapped and I now have the ugliest cracked cold sores you’ve ever seen and two because the cold meant that I wouldn’t be able to do Tough Guy on sunday. At least I had the weekend free.
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My wife continues to astound me. It’s one of the things I love about her. We were having chat about goodness knows what the other day when she happened to mention, in passing, that a film was being made of a Terry Pratchett book. This is surprising as she’s not really into films and has never read any discworld novel and knows only that they exist because I insist on having the collection in a prominent place on the bookshelves in the lounge.

Now I have to confess that for a film fan, I have been a little - er - out of it for the last couple of months. My immediate thought was “Aha! They’ve resurrected the idea of turning the Gaiman/Pratchett collaboration Good Omens into a film again. I wonder if they’ll still consider Terry Gilliam as director?” But do you know what? I was wrong (a not uncommon occurrence).

As it happens, it’s going to be (and I say that with all the certainty that any future film has) The Wee Free Men, one of Pratchett’s children’s Discworld books. And what’s more, it’s slated to be directed by Sam “Evil Dead/Spiderman” Raimi.

You know, it might just work!

Numbers seem to be all the in-thing recently. This is a “four answers” one which seems fairly innocuous so I’ll give it a go.

Four jobs I’ve had in my life

1. Analyst/Programmer
2. Chef
3. Bouncer
4. Film Producer

1

Four movies I can watch over and over

1. Blade Runner (either version)

2

2. Star Wars: Episode IV 3
3. Monty Python & The Holy Grail
4. Lawrence Of Arabia

Four places I have lived

1. Wimbledon
2. Pembrokeshire
3. Liverpool
4. Leeds

Four TV shows I love to watch4

1. Buffy The Vampire Slayer/Angel
2. The Fast Show
3. Waking The Dead
4. Spooks

Four places I have been on vacation

1. Hong Kong
2. Thailand
3. Egypt
4. Maldives

Four of my favourite dishes

1. Fillet Steak (rare)
2. Bacon, egg and sausage sandwich
3. Stuffed chicken breast, veg and potatoes

5

4. Bread and cheese

Four websites I visit daily

1. World of Warcraft (Europe)
2. Aint It Cool
3. Sleepmonsters
4. Google!

Four places I would rather be right now

1. Home
2. Anywhere but here
3. Somewhere I can dive
4. Azeroth

6

That’s it. I ain’t going to tag no-one so if you feel the need and haven’t done so already, do so. Leave a note here to tell me you did though.

1While this is not untrue, it could be classed as stretching the truth. Then again, I did have my own film production company which I guess makes me an ex Film Producer!
2Trivia fact: despite my love for this film, I don’t actually own it on DVD. I don’t feel there’s an edition that does it justice (i.e. one with insightful documentaries, interviews, voiceovers, multiple versions, etc.)
3Original, unadulterated non specially edited to shit version
4I nearly put several TV shows on that had all finished - Spaced, Red Dwarf, The Day Today etc. so decided that I had to add some that are still running. Probably.
5There are so many variations on chicken breast dishes that I’m going for generic.
6Sad but oh so true!

In the first part of a thoroughly long overdue site revamp, I have uploaded a temporary header and changed the name of the site. Again. Sorry if that upsets your blogroll things but this is necessary. Partly because of a post I wrote not too long ago when I mentioned that I would be changing the name but also to upset the mindless hoards of pre-pubescent goth wannabes who seem drawn to this site because a picture of my bionic finger is out there on t’interweb on a Simon Pegg fansite.

Now I should never complain about incoming traffic but the comments on the post that the picture appears on are ridiculous and, frankly, stupid people shouldn’t be allowed near a computer. The latest comment was succint and to the point and read simply “i love u” while some of the others still believe this to be a Simon Pegg fan site. Which, ironically, it is not. Still others seem to think that I am actually Simon Pegg and have commended me on my acting although none have offered to be my own personal sex slave which makes me think that Mr Pegg should work harder on his image.

Anyway, I have yet to decide on a new name for this underused site, but I am almost of the opinion that I should go back to headCleaner. I’m working on some new graphics (although by “working on” I mean “I’ve had an idea for a new layout and theme that I might do should I ever be arsed to bother”) and need something that will reflect my current set of interests which are still films, gaming, adventure racing and diving. And anything that distracts me from work and other important things. None of the serious stuff except when I think it’s relevant.

Still, a new title is a start I suppose.

After watching this little outburst, it makes you wonder if Richard Dawkins has a very, very good point indeed.

Wow! Nearly the end of the month already and I’ve stumbled through it in a sleep deprived haze. (This somnambulistic state is actually nothing to do with the hatchling but more because of my insistence on playing World of Warcraft so much. It’s an addiction I tells ya!)

Next weekend is the last weekend of January 2006 - an obvious statement which has little impact on anything except that it brings with it Tough Guy 2006. Those of you without drugaddled brains and impaired memory might remember that I was unable to do it last year as I had been in hospital. No such luck this year! I’m signed up and have the added incentive of not letting my partner in crime down so I will be trekking to the midlands a week on sunday to slog around a freezing cold mudbath just to prove that I Am Still Tough After All This Time.

I am masochistically proud of the fact that I have effectively done no exercise whatsoever since taking part in Hellrunner last November. Go me!

New year already? Where did the time go?

Have a good one y’all!

(Will update on life as an insomniac nappy changers soon. Or perhaps my exploits in Azeroth will have to be recounted instead. And my opinions about the final season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer which I got around to watching with Junior. No point in delaying his education!)