Monday, October 04, 2004

A start at breakfast, finish at tea-time, sort of post

I started this post sat on one of the sofas in the corner of Vic's, listening to Middlesbrough drawing with United, waiting for my breakfast. I finished it sat at home watching NFL highlights and drinking tea (Earl Grey — I had to look up how you spell Grey) from my England Rugby mug.

First the good. Shaun of the Dead is a very funny film. Plus, before all the zombies start running amuck, it made me feel all nostalgic and homesick (it's now been over 11 months since I was in Angleterre, and then it was only for a couple of weeks). Very funny film though. I think I might have to buy the Spaced DVD's, as it's made by the same folks who made the film. Who'd have thought to make the romantic comedy zombie film? Well these guys, obviously.

Lost is a very good TV show, or at least it was a very good pilot. Evangeline Lilly is a very attractive lady, and looked especially good standing in the surf wearing only her underwear. Besides the pretty girls in their underwear factor, it's also a well written, intriguing show filled with interesting characters. I'm really looking forward to Wednesday (8pm Eastern on ABC, in case you're in America and curious).

The Book Loft is a very good bookshop. I spent a good half hour today, sitting down in one of their many little nooks, reading the Lonely Planet guide to London. I know I shouldn't torment myself, but it just called out to me and I had to have a look. I love the fact that a chapter of the book was reserved purely for discussing the merits of different drinking establishments... I miss my Sunday roast lunches (the Yorkshire Grey was my most recent favourite, in case you're interested). Enough of this day dreaming though, back in the Book Loft I bought a couple of books, America (The Book) and Good Omens. I bought the America book because The Daily Show is just that bloody good. Good Omens I bought because it was written by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, and the real question is why has it taken me this long to get it? When I was trying to pay for these books — well actually the books and a cute little fairy card that I'm going to send to my Grandmother for her 84th birthday — the assistant asked me if I wanted to change my $13 Good Omens copy for a $5 remainder copy, which had a black mark on it's bottom. I did, and was very surprised that the assistant went out of his way to get me to spend less money, I suppose that's the whole service thing they've got going on over here.

In other news (it's getting late and I have to finish this post before I can eat, and drink). I watched Ohio State shoot themselves in the foot last night, it wasn't very impressive. I wonder if there'll be a lot of glum faces around the campus tomorrow. Sticking with American Football, the Falcons are 4-0 if they win the Superbowl (it's quite some way off, and highly unlikely, I know) I win some money, can't quite remember how much. Oh well food calls.

4 comments:

Georgiana said...

How are you finding Good Omens? I loved it. It's very funny and gets some terrific digs in at institutions I despise.

Unknown said...

I have to confess, that recently my book buying speed has been somewhat in excess of my book reading speed. So, I haven't actual started Good Omens yet. Although it is now at the top of the pile, and should have a chance to read it soon-ish. For now I'm just basking in the warm afterglow of finishing Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, which was amazingly good.

Anonymous said...

You really need to read Good Omens asap. In fact, I'm rather surprised that you've managed to avoid reading it thusfar, but.

It's a little weak in places, as if one or both of the authors had a great idea for something that could happen, but didn't know how to make it fit the story (and decided to just put it in anyway) but is on the whole a superb read.

Unknown said...

Actually, I did start reading Good Omens last night. So far it has been pretty good, although I'm not particularly far into the book. But already I'm very interested in what will happen next.

It reads eerily like a Tom Holt novel — as in a novel Tom Holt could have written, as opposed to a particular novel that Tom Holt has written. But that could be due to the fact that Tom Holt is one of the few comic fantasy writers that I've read extensively. I really enjoy his blending of the fantastic with the mundane, and his terribly English way of doing it.