Trying
I went to work this morning, but had to come home as I wasn’t feeling well. On and off since Wednesday night I’ve been feeling a tightness in my chest, plus aches and pains in my back. I’d hoped that the discomfort would ease by itself, but it got so bad earlier that I had to call the doctor. I’ve got an appointment with a GP in a couple of hours.
My mother was worried when I got home, but predictably one of the first things she said was that it could be due to my weight. She then mentioned her theory that it could be down to work-related stress… I just told her that I wanted to check it out with the doctor, there wasn’t any point in talking about possible causes before my appointment.
Of course, one of the reasons that I tried to put off going to the doctor was because I’m starting to feel that they won’t take any of my symptoms seriously until I’m slim. I was quite upset after my last appointment with a GP because she didn’t seem to want to investigate any of the physical problems I had; she just told me that exercise might help. I am aware that exercise is important for overall health, but there may also be other reasons for those symptoms too.
I’m seeing a different GP today, so hopefully he or she will look into my symptoms properly. I’ll update this post later with the diagnosis.
Thanks to: PJ, Susan Helene Gottfried, Semaj, and SamuraiFrog. Leave comments (5)
The Art of Not Doing
It’s true what they say: If you want something done, ask a busy person. Two years ago I was that busy person, and I got so much done. Now I’m working part-time, and I can barely get out of the bed these days.
Time, like money, is a luxury, and like money it can be squandered unwisely. I’ve haven’t been to work for the past nine days, and my only real achievements during that time are watching Heroes Season 2 and a few eps of Weeds Season 2. I can’t be totally surprised as I didn’t have a plan. Without a plan it’s easy to succumb to the temptation of daytime television, random websites and calls from sailors instead of concentrating on moving forward with my life.
My birthday has become a time when I think about my life direction. Since my 25th birthday I’ve been stressing about my 30th. There’s still a part of me that feels that my life should be sorted by then, that I should have a flat and a creative career, regular holidays abroad and perhaps Daniel Craig as my naked butler. Is that too much to ask for?
My mother cruelly keeps on reminding me that I’m returning to work tomorrow. It’s going to be hell, but I can look forward to the weekend at least.
If I’d had some money I might have gone to Europe or even Scotland, but my credit card bill is still on my mind.
My mum has also been on holiday for the last two weeks, which has been a factor in my declining level of sanity.
Vid: We Gotta Get Out Of This Place by The Animals
Thanks to: Liane Spicer, PJ, and Westcoast Walker. Leave comments (3)
The Sax Man
Due to my recent money troubles I reluctantly decided to sell some of my gear, including my saxophone. I put an ad in Loot, plus another one in the Sound on Sound readers’ ads.
One dark evening, on my way home from work, I received a call from a guy who was interested in my sax. He said that he’d been playing the saxophone for many years, and was working on a merchant ship. He said that he wouldn’t be able to buy the sax straight away, but he’d call me in a few weeks to see if it was still available. He sounded like a nice bloke, but after the other potential buyer turned out to be a timewaster I lost hope in selling the sax.
A couple of weeks ago I had another call from the Sax Man, who was checking whether the sax was still available. I confirmed that it was, and he said that he’d have some money for it at the end of this month. I told him that I hadn’t advertised it since the last time, so I was quite confident that it would still be up for grabs at that stage. I wasn’t totally sure that I still wanted to sell it, but I still needed the money.
Last Monday the Sax Man called again, to check whether the sax was still with me. I confirmed that it was. We had a nice chat about jazz, comparing our tastes (I’m more commercial, while he’s more into the esoteric experimental stuff).
I started to realise that he was chatting me up. And I didn’t really mind. Though it was clear that he’d been playing sax since before I was born, I liked the idea of being friends with a merchant sailor / saxophonist.
We’ve chatted everyday since then, and he seems to be infatuated with me, though he thinks he’s in love. We’re going to meet up on Saturday and see if we get on in person. I don’t really know what to think at this point. Plus I still don’t know if I want to give up my sax.
Thanks to: PJ and Dr. Monkey. Leave comments (2)
I Eat Planets
Yes, I can fly.
Vid: a clip from the forthcoming Superhero Movie (via Ladythrills.com)
Indulge me, guys! I’ve just watched the entire second season of Heroes in the last 24 hours.
More films I haven’t seen
Nicholas posted the remaining 150 films on IMBD’s top 250 list, so I’ve listed them below as before and will bold the ones I’ve seen.
101. Strangers on a Train (1951)
102. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
103. Batman Begins (2005)
104. Ladri di biciclette (The Bicycle Thief) (1948)
105. Salaire de la peur, Le (The Wages of War) (1953)
106. High Noon (1952)
107. Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
108. Ran (1985)
109. The Big Sleep (1946)
110. Notorious (1946)
111. Back to the Future (1985)
112. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
113. Oldboy (2003)
114. Fargo (1996)
115. Unforgiven (1992)
116. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
117. Donnie Darko (2001)
118. Mononoke-hime (1997)
119. Cool Hand Luke (1967)
120. Ratatouille (2007)
121. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
122. Yojimbo (The Bodyguard) (1961)
123. Per qualche dollaro in più (For a Few Dollars More) (1965)
124. The Green Mile (1999)
125. Million Dollar Baby (2004)
126. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
127. Notti di Cabiria, Le (Nights of Cabiria) (1957)
128. Into the Wild (2007)
129. Gladiator (2000)
130. Battaglia di Algeri, La (or The Battle of Algiers) (1966)
131. Die Hard (1988)
132. Annie Hall (1977)
133. The Deer Hunter (1978)
134. Ben-Hur (1959)
135. It Happened One Night (1934)
136. The Sixth Sense (1999)
137. Platoon (1986)
138. The General (1927)
139. Life of Brian (1979)
140. Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)
141. The Killing (1956)
142. Smultronstället (Wild Strawberries) (1957)
143. Diaboliques, Les (1955)
144. Amores perros (Love’s a Bitch) (2000)
145. Finding Nemo (2003)
146. The Incredibles (2004)
147. V for Vendetta (2005)
148. Heat (1995)
149. The Wild Bunch (1969)
150. Children of Men (2006)
151. Brief Encounter (1945)
152. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
153. 8½ (1963)
154. The Princess Bride (1987)
155. The Graduate (1967)
156. Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)
157. The Night of the Hunter (1955)
158. The Big Lebowski (1998)
159. Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)
160. Juno (2007)
161. Crash (2004/I)
162. Stand by Me (1986)
163. Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
164. Gandhi (1982)
165. Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
166. The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
167. Snatch. (2000)
168. Harvey (1950)
169. Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
170. Kill Bill: Vol. 2
171. The African Queen (1951)
172. The Thing (1982)
173. The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
174. Trainspotting (1996)
175. Gone with the Wind (1939)
176. The Gold Rush (1925)
177. Wo hu cang long (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) (2000)
178. Groundhog Day (1993)
179. Belle et la bête, La (Beauty and the Beast) (1946)
180. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
181. Scarface (1983)
182. The Conversation (1974)
183. Patton (1970)
184. American Gangster (2007)
185. Duck Soup (1933)
186. Toy Story (1995)
187. Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (1922)
188. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
189. Twelve Monkeys (1995)
190. Cabinet des Dr. Caligari., Das (The Cabinet of Dr Caligari) (1920)
191. The Terminator (1984)
192. Sleuth (1972)
193. Umberto D. (1952)
194. The Hustler (1961)
195. Stalker (1979)
196. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
197. Glory (1989)
198. Ed Wood (1994)
199. King Kong (1933)
200. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
201. The Lion King (1994)
202. The Exorcist (1973)
203. Hotaru no haka (Grave of the Fireflies) (1988)
204. Spartacus (1960)
205. Grindhouse (2007)
206. Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
207. The Lost Weekend (1945)
208. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
209. The Lady Vanishes (1938)
210. The Ox-Bow Incident (1943)
211. Magnolia (1999)
212. Stalag 17 (1953)
213. In the Heat of the Night (1967)
214. Lola rennt (Run Lola Run) (1998)
215. The Philadelphia Story (1940)
216. Frankenstein (1931)
217. Big Fish (2003)
218. Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)
219. Out of the Past (1947)
220. Casino (1995)
221. Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
222. Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
223. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
224. Mystic River (2003)
225. Du rififi chez les hommes (Rififi) (1955)
226. Toy Story 2 (1999)
227. Once (2006)
228. 3:10 to Yuma (2007)
229. Hot Fuzz (2007)
230. A Christmas Story (1983)
231. Mou gaan dou (Infernal Affairs) (2002)
232. Ikiru (Doomed/Living/To Live) (1952)
233. Dial M for Murder (1954)
234. Manhattan (1979)
235. Rope (1948)
236. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
237. Young Frankenstein (1974)
238. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
239. Roman Holiday (1953)
240. Quatre cents coups, Les (The 400 Blows) (1959)
241. His Girl Friday (1940)
242. The Searchers (1956)
243. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
244. Ying xiong (Hero) (2002)
245. In Cold Blood (1967)
246. Samouraï, Le (The Samurai) (1967)
247. Strada, La (The Road) (1954)
248. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
249. The Kid (1921)
250. Harold and Maude (1971)
My score this time is 40/150. Oh well.
Thanks to: John, PJ, BV, and J.D.. Leave comments (5)
Happy Easter!
Go on, have some!
Thanks to: PJ and Becca. Leave comments (2)
Such a busy froggy…
Samurai Frog has apparently been modelling for Supreme Clothing on the sly, and plans to appear in a photography exhibition in Paris too.
I thought we were friends, but I only heard about it through an article in CO-ED Magazine.
These celebrities forget about the little people so quickly. 
Thanks to: PJ and SamuraiFrog. Leave comments (2)
Wanted
Who’d believe it, Angelina Jolie and James McAvoy in a very silly-looking action movie.
I can’t wait. Eat your demented heart out, Joey.
Thanks to: Dale, J.D., and PJ. Leave comments (4)
Top 100 Movies
My mate Nicholas wrote about the IMDB Top 100 film list and revealed which ones he’s seen.
I thought it might be fun for me to do the same. The ones I’ve seen are in bold:
1. The Godfather (1972)
2. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
3. The Godfather: Part II (1974)
4. Buono, il brutto, il cattivo, Il (1966)
5. Pulp Fiction (1994)
6. Schindler’s List (1993)
7. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
8. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
9. Casablanca (1942)
10. Shichinin no samurai (1954)
11. Star Wars (1977)
12. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
13. 12 Angry Men (1957)
14. Rear Window (1954)
15. Goodfellas (1990)
16. Cidade de Deus (2002)
17. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
18. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
19. C’era una volta il West (1968)
20. The Usual Suspects (1995)
21. Psycho (1960)*
22. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
23. Fight Club (1999)
24. Citizen Kane (1941)
25. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
26. North by Northwest (1959)
27. Memento (2000)
28. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
29. Sunset Blvd. (1950)
30. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
31. The Matrix (1999)
32. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
33. There Will Be Blood (2007)
34. Se7en (1995)
35. Apocalypse Now (1979)
36. Taxi Driver (1976)
37. American Beauty (1999)
38. Léon (1994)
39. Vertigo (1958)
40. Fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain, Le (2001)
41. American History X (1998)
42. The Departed (2006)
43. No Country for Old Men (2007)
44. Paths of Glory (1957)
45. M (1931)
46. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
47. Chinatown (1974)
48. The Third Man (1949)
49. Leben der Anderen, Das (2006)
50. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
51. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
52. Alien (1979)
53. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
54. Laberinto del fauno, El (2006)
55. The Shining (1980)
56. Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (2001)
57. The Pianist (2002)
58. Double Indemnity (1944)
59. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
60. Forrest Gump (1994)
61. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
62. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
63. L.A. Confidential (1997)
64. Das Boot (1981)
65. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
66. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
67. Untergang, Der (2004)
68. Aliens (1986)
69. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
70. Raging Bull (1980)
71. Metropolis (1927)
72. Rashômon (1950)
73. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
74. Modern Times (1936)
75. Hotel Rwanda (2004)
76. Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
77. Sin City (2005)
78. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
79. Rebecca (1940)
80. Sjunde inseglet, Det (1957)
81. All About Eve (1950)
82. Some Like It Hot (1959)
83. City Lights (1931)
84. Amadeus (1984)
85. On the Waterfront (1954)
86. Vita è bella, La (1997)
87. The Great Escape (1963)
88. Touch of Evil (1958)
89. The Prestige (2006)
90. The Elephant Man (1980)
91. Jaws (1975)
92. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
93. The Sting (1973)
94. Nuovo cinema Paradiso (1988)
95. Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
96. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
97. The Apartment (1960)
98. Braveheart (1995)
99. The Great Dictator (1940)
100. Blade Runner (1982)
*I was working in a cinema when Psycho was rereleased in 1998, and I can remember hearing the soundtrack from outside the screen door, but not actually being able to watch more than a few minutes of the film.
I’ve only seen 36 out of the 100, which isn’t a great score. I bet some of you have seen loads more than me. What’s your score?
Thanks to: PJ, Jarrod, Dale, A. Writer, BV, Nicholas, J.D., and John. Leave comments (13)
Eat Me
The Hamburger Dress
(via bookofjoe)
Or if your tastes are more refined and you can travel to the Temple Restaurant & Bar in Minneapolis, why not try eating sushi off a naked person?
Thanks to: Amicatonic, PJ, Freida Bee, and Wandering Coyote. Leave comments (4)
