2009 — 30 April: Thursday
Someone had better explain to me how we can possibly be one third of the way through the year already. Oh well — nearly time for the next smidgin of pension! Meanwhile, I took tonight's picture of Christa in Old Windsor in the living room back in 1977 about a year after we'd moved into what seemed (initially) to be a huge house. After our relatively small, rented flat I guess a three-bed semi would naturally feel huge:
She's sitting in one of the enormous battered old armchairs that we picked up for the proverbial song (as one does, or did back in the mid-70s). It's 00:36 and I'm drooping quite fast. Even though BBC 6Music is playing Blondie's "Rapture" a mere 28 years after its first release.
Just upgraded WinSCP... what a fine piece of software! G'night.
I.T. trivia
(Or should that be "trivium"?) Identify the tiny little software house of which it has been said "The company's previous worst performance was a 0.7% increase in mid-2000". (Clue: their chief executive [pictured here] apparently has the [now rather more distant] goal of overtaking Mrs Google.) My source (which may need you to register) is Simon Aughton writing in MacUser magazine.
As I sup my morning cuppa and listen to NPR and some fairly mindless whittering about their next election (already!) I've just had to close the study's skylight (having foolishly left it open all night) against some of that much-promised rain. Last time too much rain got in I damaged several hundred books, some were ruined. It's 08:56 and, rain or no rain, there's some supplies shopping to be done. Still, it will wash some of the mud off the car.
"I write about dead people"
Heavens! Stumbling across this web site reminds me (alas) of HL Mencken's opinions. Obsequial journalism, anyone? (Incidentally, in homage to The Sixth Sense, I did initially try1 putting the verb "see" in my heading.)
It's faintly surreal listening to our Melvyn Bragging (as it were) about the Higgs boson while the memory of his SBS interview with screenwriter William Goldman last Sunday is still fresh.
I try to take care with my attributions. Here's a nicely-written argument in support. Should I say who it's by? Meanwhile I'm touched to note that Stephen Fry has reached much the same Lifely conclusions2 as I have despite the vast differences in our lives (apart, of course, from his one-time enthusiastic attachment to LaserDiscs!3)
10:48 and the rain seems to have eased off. Time for a sniff of fresh air, methinks.
Nearly lunch time
Having forgotten the bananas while availing myself of Nature's Natural Car Wash — damn — I note that Channel 4 is showing The Hot Rock in HD this afternoon. Wonderful film, based pleasingly closely on one of my favourite comedy crime novels. I presume this is being upscaled as I doubt anyone has bothered to re-master it in hi-def. Zero Mostel is sublime (as ever).
Can one trust this?
It purports to be an accurate translation of a lovely fragment of verse I quoted a couple of years ago:
Right! Time (14:18) to fire up the Yaris again and whizz out for a cuppa somewhere with my main co-pilot. We're not scared of a touch of swineish 'flu.
Somewhat later
An only slightly drowned Mr Postie handed over a couple more items earlier, but scans of them stubbornly refuse to tessellate4 nicely when added to stuff left over from yesterday. I'm now reading the original novel of "Nick and Norah" having re-watched the film with the authors' commentary. I've always been fascinated at the (often flawed, and usually tricky) metamorphosis of a book into a film via a multi-handed screenplay:
Likewise, the equally interesting transition between a scripted storyboard and a graphic novel. I lack (entirely) the talent needed to create these, but have been compensated by the ability to appreciate them. I'm pretty sure it's one of those right brain / left brain things. Mind you, I had no problem enjoying the two Schubert piano trios either. But now it's Bob Harris country (and I always thought I didn't like the stuff).
Later still
The book was fascinatingly different from the film. Its co-authors (Rachel Cohn and David Levithan) wrote alternate chapters entirely from the point of view of Norah and Nick respectively,5 so it was a bit like that "He said / She said" film at times, but a helluva change from most of the dreary stuff aimed at late teens when I was in my late teens. Many years ago...
Just for a change, tomorrow's entry is going to have to wait until tomorrow. G'night.