175 - Confusion

 In Bizarre Love Triangle there's a line that goes...

"... every day my confusion grows..."

I kinda really get that...

174 - Waiting

 I hate waiting... especially things that are out of my control. 

Yet, wait I must. And it's not like it's the first time I've had to wait for something. It seems it's almost a constant. 

Tick, tock, tick, tock...

Oh... so much waiting. 

173 - Birds

 Earlier today, just as me and my son were setting off an a walk (daily exercise, see), we both had Pokemon Go on our phones. He happened to notice that over one side of the road there were two bird Pokemon next to each other, but then realised, no... there were three bird Pokemon next to each other. 

Three birds.

Three little birds...

...and that instantly made me think of Bob Marley's best song, and that... well; don't worry, about a thing, 'cos every little thing's gonna be alright...

And that just made me laugh a moment, and smile, as there was something that cropped up not long before we left that could go in two ways; a good way and a bad way. It may be nonsense, but I took the three little birds as an omen that it will be alright...

But things, I think, are out of my hands. I just have to wait. And hope that it's gonna be alright...

172 - Sunday

 Maybe Morrissey was right. 

Maybe every day is like Sunday. 

Couldn't every day be like Saturday, instead...?

Hmm....

171 - Surfing

 So, the next of the super-hero movies is Fantastic Four; Rise of the Silver Surfer. 

This is a movie that isn't that popular, and I just don't get why. Its clearly learnt lessons from the first film, and manages to get pretty much everything right. 

What we have here is a movie that absolutely captures the flavour if its source material, and is just a damn fine fine and fun movie. It's a movie that doesn't have an ounce of flab in it at all; it gets in there, tells its story, and gets out...

And the threat here is a much greater one than the last movie; we're talking end of the world stuff here. I guess that's where we get to the one big flaw; the depiction of Galactus. He should be this huge giant of a figure towering over everyone. Instead he's a dust cloud. 

Now, I know this is apparently how Galactus is depicted in the Ultmate range of comics... still a bit naff, though. Couldn't they have had proper Galactus in the middle of the cloud, manipulating it, controlling it? That would have been more satisfying. 

But, really, that's the only proper negative thing about the film as otherwise it's a damn fine movie. The core cast playing the four are absolutely spot on, and there is real chemistry between them. The script is witty, and has some great gags; I love the power swapping sequences. They're handled really well. 

And we do get a proper threat to defeat in this movie; even though in the end it's the Surfer who saves the day, rather than the Four. But that doesn't really matter, as the movie is as much his as it is theirs. 

It really is a shame they weren't able to make more movies in this series, as there were plans for at least one more with this cast. I'd have liked to have seen what they would have come up with... could Franklin have made his debut? That would have been good...

170 - Tipsy

 I think I might have had a little too much to drink. Which makes me think I shouldn't be typing here, lest I say something completely daft.

Yet there are things I should talk about pertaining to free speech. 

But I don't want to get it wrong...

...maybe tomorrow?

169 - Ending

 Is it terribly cynical of me to be thinking that the Covid restrictions won't actually be ending on the dates that Boris has specified? I mean, all these dates are described as "no earlier than", so these are the earliest possible dates on which they could happen, if everything goes according to plan. Can you really believe this shower of a government will be able to ensure everything goes to plan? I don't. There's already a significant shortage of vaccine supplies on the horizon, so that side of things will be delayed. What else will go wrong? 

Hmm...

168 - MInd

 So, I've been reading "the little book of humanism" by Andrew Copson and Alice Roberts and one of the quotes cited in it is;

"When my information changes, I change my mind. What do you do?

Attributed to John Maynard Keynes."

And I can't help but think just how right that is. The thing is you may have an opinion on something, but then some new piece of information comes along and you realise you're wrong... the question is, what do you do? The logical thing is that you reconsider your opinion, as this is the only logical thing to do. 

If you have information that proves you completely wrong, just own it. Admit your error, and move on. Don't just dig in there.

I find that I constantly re-evaluate opinions. I'm not afraid to say I've got things wrong. 

But when I know I'm right... well, I could change my mind, but then we would both be wrong... 

167 - Songs

 'Cos the main reason for starting that "songs" strand was that I'd have a list of songs I'd be able to just drop in as a post whenever there wasn't anything else I really wanted to talk about, or when there was little time. 

But every now and then in the list there's a song that's important, and I actually need to spend a decent amount of time writing about it...

...and the next song is one of them.

I could just skip to the next one, and come back to this one, but I've decided I've got to do the list in the order I've written it.

Oh, well...

166 - Time

There is just not enough time.

Can I get some more, please? 

165 - Census

 Well, that's the census done again for another decade. It'll be interesting to see the results when they are ready - probably about a year or so, won't it?

I can't help but wish, though, that it had more elements to it - perhaps the chance to give opinions on a range of issues; there could be some that are constant throughout, and others topical to each individual census. It would be like some massive state of the nation's opinion poll. 

Though I'm sure I've read murmurings that this year's census might be the last one ever. 

I kinda hope not...

164 - Fantasic

 So, on to the Fantastic Four films, and I should state from the off I really rate this cast; I reckon the four main principals here - Ioan Gruffud, Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis, and Jessica Alba as Mr Fantastic, Invisible Girl, Thing, and Human Torch - are just wonderfully cast. They absolutely nail their roles. In fact, I would go so far as to say - and I know this will be sacrilegious to some - that I think Chris Evans is a better Johnny Storm than Steve Rogers...

It does start off well, as the four of them (five, counting Doom) find their powers beginning to manifest, and to come to terms with them. This comes to a head in the scene on the bridge, where they start to come together as a team (which, ironically, works better than the climax of the film). You just can't help but smile as Johnny embraces his new found fame. It just feels right. 

There is a lot to love about this film, as there are many great moments, some great characterisation, and witty one liners in the script. The main flaw here is that the main threat in the film, Dr Doom, is just a bit, well... underwhelming. He doesn't seem to have any great plan, any great motivations... other than getting back at Reed and co. What he's planning on doing after that is rather unclear. Well, it's not even mentioned. 

That's a bit of a shame, as had that side of things been a bit better developed it would have been overall a better film. That is not to say it's a bad film; but it is a movie of moments (as mentioned before) rather than a great storyline. 

I guess as a foundation to build on it works, and that will become apparent when we get to the next film...

163 - Improving

 It's sometimes the little things that can make a difference. 

Back in the day, doing the supermarket run on a Friday (and taking my daughter to and from dance) for much of the journeys on Radio 2 was Simon Mayo and his All Request Friday... I did hear bits through the rest of the week, but it was always the Friday I listened to most. 

A while back, after the bosses at Radio 2 messed him (and the brilliant Jo Whiley) about, enforcing rubbish changes to his show he departed Radio 2 for pastures new, and a Ken Bruce clashing stint on a digital classical music station. 

And this week he's back on an FM radio station, Greatest Hits Radio, and his version of All Request Friday is back. 

Just listening to him in the car (and then after I got back home) just made me smile. It was like the old days. Albeit with rubbish adverts for scrap metal merchants etc.

I'm not ashamed to admit that when Enjoy Yourself started up just after 5, it brought a tear or two of joy to my eyes. In fact I was just beaming with happiness throughout the show. Heck, had some numpty requested Simply Red I'd not have minded I was that overjoyed to have the show back. 

And for the first time in quite a while it made me optimistic about the future; we're at about the year point since Covid sent the country in to a spiral that we've still not recovered from (I'll refrain from mentioning the government's incompetence), but Simon's show today, the All Request Friday, gave me a sense that (to quote that other show he does) everything will be alright in the end...

I just have to thank Greatest Hits Radio for giving Simon back the slot he so belongs in, and that he's able to do the show the way he wants. At a time like this it is everything. Thank you. 

That something as simple as a radio show can do this is incredible. It's the right show at the right time. We can get through this. It's not alright yet. 

But then it's not the end... 

162 - Defection

 I might defect from here to somewhere else. 

I'm considering it. 

I have a place to defect to, ready to activate. 

But, we shall see...

161 - Realisation

 I just realised that post #151 should have been about Pokemon. 

You know that makes sense. 

I'll have to talk about it at some point. But not right now, as I'm feeling a little tired. 

160 - Dreams

 The other things as important as thoughts are dreams. 

But I'll have to talk about that another day...

159 - Thinking

 There is a joy in thinking. 

Just spending time running things over in your mind, going over options and possibilities, and coming to conclusions. 

Or maybe not even coming to a conclusion; after all, there are many thought experiments, or paradoxical situations, that can never have a conclusion. 

It seems often that spending time just thinking is seen as a waste of time; if you're not seen to be actually doing something that's seen as a bad thing. 

But thinking should be seen as doing something in and of itself. 

I spend a lot of time thinking about all sorts of things. 

And it's glorious...

158 - Threat

 So the next song in the ongoing thread is from a band I became aware of during the days when I used to do a fanzine... it is;

D 4th S, by Pop Threat

There were actually two versions of this one released, one as a single, and the other a demo version from a compilation. I actually always preferred the demo version as it had such a raw edge to it and I never really thought it needed to be re-recorded. That's just how it is sometimes. 

Like Atta Girl, we have two sets of vocals over the top of each other, but each one here is at about the same level. It can take a while to make out everything, but when you do figure out what the song is about... well, it is rather sad. 

Again, like Atta Girl, there's a blistering instrumental section, but here it's the climax of the song. I can imagine when played live it was probably an epic wall of sound and feedback. It's sheer power. 

Anyhow... enjoy;

Don't get oversentimental...

157 - Whelmed

 I'm sure there's an answer, and I'm sure Susie Dent would know as she's a blimmin' genius.... but why do we say something is underwhelming or overwhelming, but never precise whelming?

And why do we say we're feeling under par when we're not feeling so good, or that someone's performance is a bit below par is not a good performance... yet it's a golfing metaphor... and in golf getting a hole in under par is a very good thing...

I dunno... 

156 - Difficult

 I started writing a serious post about a difficult subject - I've parked it for the moment as it's not right. All these posts are the first thing that comes out of my brain, almost a stream of consciousness, with very little in the way of editing. Just the occasional rephrasing, correcting, and reformatting. 

Nothing too great. 

But this post is one that I think needs proper thought, and a clear and distinct message running through it. And I am feeling tired and just can't do it justice right now. 

So, you've got this instead. But it does kind of explain my thought process for the blog...

155 - Lawrence

 Just one thing to say;

Lawrence Chaney for the win!

That is all. 

154 - Holding

 Holding.

Holden.

Whatever did happen to those posthumous JD Salinger books that were meant to start being published by 2020...?

I dunno.

Maybe we'll never see them.

153 - Saving

 I do wonder if it's possible to save the world. I don't know. At various times it seems like there may be a hope, but then things happen. I mean, whilst it's clear individuals are perfectly fine, there's something wrong at the heart of society (no, Maggie; there is such a think as society) and I don't know what it is, or how to fix it. 

Which is a problem. 

I guess all I can do is try to be the best person I can be. That's all any of us can do. 

Be the best we can. 

Please. 

152 - 'Owzat

 Somehow, during this series of lockdowns during the ongoing pandemic, I've started to watch, and enjoy, cricket.

I never thought this would ever happen, as I've often in the past found it to be boring. But somehow I will now often watch it when it's on the telly. This is either when it's on Channel 4, or when it's on FreeSports on channel 64. 

What I have found is this; I tend to enjoy matches where the ball is white more than when the ball is red. Or Pink. 

I watched some of the T20 internationals (white ball) and they were rather exciting. And even I stumbled upon a final of a T10 championship, and that was thrilling. The batsmen were really going for it, trying to get as many fours and sixes as possible. 

But the five day test matches... strewth. They seem lucky to get six runs per over, let alone off a single bowl. So defensive, so... yeah... these were the kind of matches I'd get distracted by other things. 

Though, calling them "five day" test matches is somewhat of a misnomer; the last England V India one didn't last three whole days and the one before not even two whole days! Imagine of you'd got tickets for the days that never got played?

Nah... the set overs matches seem to me to be much better. Much more exiting. I mean, I'll still watch the "five day" tests... 'cos sooner or later there'll be an exciting one, yes...?

151 - Promising

 So, here I'm going to waffle on a bit about WandaVision, which will also touch on the season 2 finale of The Mandalorian. If you don't want to know what happens. please do not read on.

I'll Rot-13 the text so that you don't accidentally look down and see something you may not want to see. To translate, head to https://rot13.com/ 

So...

Gur znva ceboyrz jvgu gur JnaqnIvfvba jnfa'g gung vg jnf onq, cre fr, engure guna vg jnf vaperqvoyl nagvpyvznpgvp fvapr jr jrer cebzvfrq na nccrnenapr ol n punenpgre gung jbhyq or ba n cne jvgu gur frnfba 2 svanyr bs Gur Znaqnybevna. 

Abj, gung rcvfbqr nofbyhgryl frgf gur one irel uvtu. Vg srngherf na nccrnenapr ol n qr-ntrq Znex Unzvyy cynlvat Yhxr Fxljnyxre ng gur irel urvtug bs uvf Wrqv cbjref. Nyy ubcr sbe bhe urebrf ybbxf ybfg, ohg gura na K-Jvat chyyf hc, ynaqf, naq onz... Yhxr phgf guebhtu jnir nsgre jnir bs rarzl, qvfcngpuvat gurz jvgu rnfr. Vg'f n gehyl nznmvat, chapu gur nve, bu lrf zbzrag. 

Vs lbh'er tbvat gb fnl gung fbzrguvat va JnaqnIvfvba vf ng gung yriry, lbh'er rkcrpgvat fbzrguvat terng urer. 

V unir gb cbvag bhg urer, gung crbcyr unir graqrq gb pbasyngr gjb qvssrerag pbzzragf nobhg gur svanyr nf vs gurl jrer bar. Bar jnf gur pbzzrag nobhg gur Yhxr Fxljnyxre yriry nccrnenapr; guvf jnf zragvbarq rneyvre va gur frnfba, naq unqa'g lrg unccrarq ol gur svanyr. Gur frpbaq jnf n pbzzrag sebz Cnhy Orggnal gung gurer jnf fbzrbar va gur svanyr ur irel zhpu rawblrq npgvat bccbfvgr. Znal gura nffhzrq gur ynggre nyfb ersreerq gb gur sbezre. 

Pyrneyl vg qvqa'g, nf Orggnal'f pbzzrag jnf uvz univat n ovg bs n ynhtu gnyxvat nobhg gur fprarf - vapyhqvat gur "Gevttre'f Oebbz" fprar - jurer ur jnf cynlvat gjb qvssrerag irefvbaf bs gur ivfvba. Gung jnf pyrneyl n qvssrerag guvat.

Guhf, fcrphyngvba tngurerq nf gb jub guvf nccrnenapr pbhyq or. Anzrf guebja hc vapyhqrq Errq Evpuneqf (nf cbgragvnyyl orvat gur nrebfcnpr ratvarre gung unq orra ersreerq gb va n pbhcyr bs rcvfbqrf; jvgu Wbua Xenfvafxv znxvat uvf jvqryl fcrphyngrq qrohg nf guvf punenpgre), n zhygvirefr irefvba bs Zntargb (yvxryl Zvpunry Snfforaqre), naq n ubfg bs bgure anzrf pbzvat guebhtu gur zhygvirefr va gb gur Zneiry Pvarzngvp Havirefr.

(Vapvqragnyyl; unf vg rire orra fgngrq juvpu Rnegu gur ZPH vf? Gur pbzvpf ner Rnegu 616, ohg V qba'g erpnyy juvpu Rnegu gur ZPH vf.)

Fb, jura gur svanyr pnzr naq jrag, jvgubhg rira n uvag bs n Yhxr Fxljnyxre yriry nccrnenapr... jryy, lbh pna vzntvar ubj sehfgengvat guvf jnf. Vs lbh'er tbvat gb fnl gung fbzrguvat yvxr guvf vf unccravat, lbh'ir tbg gb qryvire ba vg. Guvf qvqa'g. Abe qvq gur svanyr bcra gur qbbef gb gur zhygvirefr. V pbhyqa'g uryc ohg guvax bs gur fgbel bs gur obl jub pevrq jbys!

Gur guvat vf, gubhtu, vg jnf n cerggl qnza fngvfslvat raq gb gur fubj. Vg svavfurq gur fgbel vg jnf gryyvat, cynagrq frrqf sbe shgher Zneiry fgbevrf (nf gur zbivrf nyjnlf qb), naq unq fhpu urnegoernxvat zbzragf. Jura Jnaqn ybfg obgu xvqf naq Ivfvba nf gur Urk pbyyncfrq va ba vgfrys jnf unaqyrq ornhgvshyyl. Naq jura Jnaqn hfrq Ntngun'f bja gevpxf ba ure vg jnf whfg vqrny. Vg jnf n qnza tbbq svanyr, naq V nz fher gung jura V er-jngpu vg xabjvat jung vg vf, engure guna jung vg'f fcrphyngrq gb or, V'yy rawbl vg zber. (Rkuvovg N; Gjva Crnxf Sver Jnyx Jvgu Zr. Erzvaq zr gb lnx nobhg gung bar qnl.)

Bar guvat V guvax jvyy erznva qvfnccbvagvat vf gur Cvrgeb erirny; gung ur jnfa'g ernyyl n Cvrgeb sebz fbzrjurer va gur zhygvirefr, naq jnf whfg n abezny crefba, jub unccrarq gb ybbx yvxr Jnaqn'f oebgure sebz nabgure havirefr, naq jnf whfg tvira gur punenpgrevfngvba ol Ntngun. 

Birenyy, guvf jnf n qnza svar frevrf. Whfg, cyrnfr, jura vg pbzrf gb shegure fubjf; qba'g fnl gurer'f n jbys jura gurer vfa'g...

150 - Pointing

 So, next on the list of super-hero movies was meant to be Venom, but I don't have a DVD or a Blu-Ray and it appears not to be on any of the streaming services I have a subscription to. Though I'm sure, last week, when I looked it was showing on Just Watch as available on Netflix... but apparently not. So, for the moment I'll skip over it and head to Spider-Man; Into the Spiderverse...

The thing this does really well, is that it does something different with the Spider-Man mythos that we've not seen before on the big screen. Here we get multiple versions of Spidey combine to defeat a common enemy...

...and the main Spidey here isn't Peter Parker, it's Miles Morales, an alternative Spider-Man who made he debut in the "Ultimate" range of comics, which gave a different spin on the old classics. 

He's not just a Peter Parker clone, and is very much his own character, and this does mean we don't need to be tied too closely to the traditions of the comics (I can't comment on how close he is to the Ultimate comics, as I've never read them). I mean, for one thing... a version of Aunt May who essentially acts as a version of Alfred to an alternate Peter Parker...? Anywhere else that wouldn't work, but here it's great. 

The various different Spideys all work well together, and even when one of them's cartoon pig it somehow manages to pull it off. 

As it is an animated film there's much larger than life interpretations of some of the characters - the Kingpin is built like a double decker bus, and when we see the Green Goblin briefly he's some oversized giant beast. But, again, somehow it works. 

It's just a great, fun, film. And it's got Nicolas Cage voicing a monochrome Spidey. What more could you want???

---*---

So, next time, if I've acquired a copy it'll be Venom. If not, it's on to the Fantastic Four films... Flame on...!

149 - She

 So, we get to the third in the series of songs, and today it's;

She, by Angel Pie

This is another one here just because I like the song. I recall I heard it first on a Channel 4 music programme fronted by Caitlin Moran called Naked City, which had the contrivance that it was being broadcast from her flat. Which looked suspiciously like a TV studio... Collins and Maconie had something to do with it as well, I recall.

But they played this song, and I loved it. The CD single stated it was from the forthcoming album, Jake; almost 30 years on, and it's still forthcoming. I get the impression it's never going to get here.

Just enjoy this great song...

(List is up to 13 now... keeps growing!)

148 - Banksy

 I really should have taken a picture of it, but I guess as it's all over the news you can look it up if you want, but that picture Banksy painted on the side of Reading Gaol is damn fine.

The sheets coming out of the typewriter look like a long sheet of paper, rather than a bedsheet, and has text typed on it. It's very swish, very stylish, and can only do a good thing in raising the awareness of the sale of the Gaol and its subsequent use.

'Cos it can't be converted in to yet another block of flats. There's at least 5,103,208 of them in the town already. We don't need more. Heck, literally opposite Banksy's painting there's a whole new development of flats going up on what used to be HomeBase and Toys 'r' Us... we don't need more.

What we need is a whopping great arts centre. With a gallery, a theatre space, a cafe maybe, places where people can come to create art as well as see it, take classes and workshops. All sorts of things. Something that can add to the culture of the town, to enliven the place a bit. A venue that can be something good. 

Something more. 

Just not more damn flats. Or a flamin' hotel. 

147 - 147

 Part of me thinks I should write a post about snooker given the number of the post, but really there's only ever been three snooker players I've ever really cared about, Alex Higgins, Jimmy White, and Ronnie O'Sullivan. All three have at various points been rather exciting in their play, and whizzed around the table showing natural flair. And all three at their peaks - especially Higgins - when given the choice between a safety shot, or a risky attempt at a spectacular pot would always go for the latter. 

'Cos when I'm watching a frame and it's 4,109 safety shots after the other it does get very dull indeed. 

Thing is, Alex is dead, Jimmy's past his peak, and how long can Ronnie keep going? Where's the next exciting player? Where's the next one who's going to shake things up? 

Hmm...

146 - Idea

 So, I mentioned the other day that when I was listening to a particular song that I came up with an idea that to do a strand of posts about songs... well, this is the song I was talking about... I told you the title then, if you were paying attention...

I Really Like The Idea, by Scarlet

This one's very much one of the songs I just happened to like, rather than it being because of anything of a more personal nature. Scarlet never had that many hits, in fact probably only one, which was Independent Love Song. That's the one that charted highest of theirs. Probably the only one that actually charted.

But it's their earlier single I like best. 

I Really Like The Idea is a fairly basic pop love song, but somehow it's always stuck with me. It captures the feeling of falling in love, and of just makes me smile when I listen to it, and fills me with hope for the future...

I was sure this one should have had a proper video... but I couldn't find it.

145 - La

 I guess perhaps the hardest thing about re-watching Russell T Davies' latest TV show, It's A Sin, is that you know all the twists and turns already, so you anticipate what's coming and start to well up about impending unfortunate events before they happen. 

The thing is, though, it doesn't diminish the show's power, in fact it probably enhances it. 

And upon re-watching it, I am even firmer in my opinion that it's the best thing he's ever done. Especially part five, which is truly stunning, from Keeley Hawes stalking the hospital corridors, to Ritchie's "It was fun" speech, to the punch in the guts that follows, it's TV that absolutely tears you apart. 

'Cos by the time you get to part five you're so invested in these characters that you don't want the inevitable to happen... but of course it does. 

Part of me thinks I may end up thinking it may be the best British TV drama ever made, but Our Friends in the North is so embedded in my psyche that it'll be hard for it to be topple off its perch. 

Oh...