these moments that I've had.


Thursday, January 29, 2004  

Off to Copenhagen for four days.

Don't wait up.

posted by Darren | 10:36 PM


Wednesday, January 28, 2004  

"The BBC is in meltdown tonight"
- slightly biased(?) leader from ITV News tonight.

Whatever my thoughts on how badly the whole Iraqi war and David Kelly/WMD affair was handled by the Government, I believe that Tony Blair and Labour should not be ousted from power over it. Some will say the BBC have been made scapegoats, but the fact remains the BBC's and Gilligan's 'chain of evidence' was tainted, to say the least.

I think an apology is in order from Michael Howard.

-------------------------------------------------------------

...and Britain grinds to a halt again, cos of a little snow.



Pretty though...

posted by Darren | 10:47 PM


Tuesday, January 27, 2004  



Oscar! Oscar! Oscar!

Go Peter Jackson! Go Return of the King!

I really do hope Peter Jackson and his team get what they deserve this year. Looking through the list of nominees, though, there are some real deserving nominees this year - more so than usual I think. So, plenty of room for contentment, even if Return of the King doesn't get what's coming.

Take 'Actor in a Leading Role'. Ben Kingsley should surely win another Oscar one day - don't get me wrong, I like Jim Broadbent, but Ben was robbed when nominated for Sexy Beast and losing out to Jim's performance in Iris. Equally, maybe, Sean Penn was robbed the same year, when his I Am Sam performance lost out to Denzel Washington's, off-type, psycho performance in Training Day (nearer the real Denzel than most of his other roles, me thinks). I'm just slightly edging towards hoping Penn wins for Mystic River, though it is great to see Bill Murray and Johnny Depp getting nods for subtle, comic performances. (Sorry Jude - another Brit, but you've never really 'done it' for me, though Talented Mr Ripley came close, and Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow looks very, very interesting).

More strong showing in Leading Actress, but also nice to see some surprising, but welcome, names in both Supporting categories - Alec Baldwin(!), Patricia Clarkson (excellent in Six Feet Under).

Best Picture surprises - no Cold Mountain (and no Director nod either, for Anthony Minghella. A real surprise to me as he has "Academy Favourite" written all over him), Seabiscuit is in there. When it came out last year, I thought it had Best Picture written all over it, with America in that over-sentimental frame of mind since 9/11. Mystic River, another surprise, but this time, one that I was hoping would be in there. Ditto, Lost in Translation.

The biggest disappointment for me (and let's face it, the Oscars always has its disappointments, though some years they can be like a knife through a film-lover's heart), would be if Master and Commander walked away with an armful of awards, but especially Best Picture.

posted by Darren | 8:27 PM


Monday, January 26, 2004  

The British are coming ! ! !

Except they're not, cos there will be no more of The Office.

Though there will be an American version... oh dear.



And Happy Australia Day, my Australian friends, like my boss and at least two colleagues. Why are they here if their country is so great.



posted by Darren | 9:42 PM


Sunday, January 25, 2004  

Lovely, bright, winters day in London, today. Time for a walk around the lakes and woodland, on the edge of Epping Forest. Liz popped round as we were getting ready, so we took the old bird along with us, and together with Edward, the three of us enjoyed a brisk stroll.

Batten down the hatches though as, what the BBC is describing as an "Arctic Blast" heads our way for the duration of this week. Temperatures in the late twenties fahrenheit(minus degrees celcius) will prepare Dave and I for our weekend trip to Copenhagen this Friday.

posted by Darren | 10:50 PM


Saturday, January 24, 2004  

A good old English news item that we just don't have enough of these days, amongst all the death and turmoil in the world - Dog driver in milk float drama.

And, Happy Birthday Dad:



posted by Darren | 12:18 PM


Wednesday, January 21, 2004  

Some like it hot
So lets turn up the heat till we fry.

posted by Darren | 7:12 PM


Tuesday, January 20, 2004  

"It's never bothered me, people's music taste. Fucking Enya and Enigma CD's, when I met him."

- A Friend.

posted by Darren | 8:19 PM


Monday, January 19, 2004  

Go Norris !

"How much do you think I'd make out of Les Battersby and six pairs of leggings"

- Norris. Coronation Street.

posted by Darren | 8:48 PM


Sunday, January 18, 2004  

Carnie Wilson has had a laparoscopic gastric bypass. What this means is that she has made a transformation:



Wilson Phillips, "Wilson Phillips" is one of my favourite albums. Ever.

*hangs head in shame*

posted by Darren | 7:55 PM


Saturday, January 17, 2004  

Wolves have been sighted less than 80 kilometres from Geneva.

posted by Darren | 7:09 PM


Friday, January 16, 2004  

No blog on Thursday because we were confined to one room of the house, with calor gas heater dragged from under the stairs, to heat the room, as the gas boiler was out of action for about the fourth time in two months. British Gas man came... again. This time an older gentleman, who had nothing but criticism for the younger cohorts who had come here before, only to patch up what he was going to put right. Cross fingers, it's working, the house is toasty and the bath was luxurious!

Still, it's not New York, basking in -10degrees+ with wind-chill taken into effect. Wrap up warm BJ, Maria, David Bowie....

posted by Darren | 11:20 PM


Wednesday, January 14, 2004  

Brits 2004: The Winners

Here are the winners - predictions, not my preferred choice:

British male solo artist:
Will Young.

British female solo artist:
Dido

British album:
Dido - Life for Rent.

British Group:
The Darkness.

British single:
Dido - White Flag.

British rock act:
The Darkness.

British urban act:
Dizzee Rascal.

British dance act:
Basement Jaxx.

British breakthrough artist:
Jamie Cullum.

Pop act:
Busted.

International male solo artist:
Justin Timberlake.

International female solo artist:
Beyonce Knowles.

International album:
The White Stripes - Elephant.

International group:
OutKast.

International breakthrough artist:
50(Fiddy!) Cent.

Outstanding contribution to music:
Kajagoogoo.

posted by Darren | 11:53 PM


Tuesday, January 13, 2004  

It's only been on about 45 minutes, but it's already a winner.

posted by Darren | 10:53 PM


Monday, January 12, 2004  

Brits 2004: The nominations

Here is the full list of nominees for the 2004 Brit Awards, to held at Earl's Court, London, on 17 February.

British male solo artist:
Badly Drawn Boy, Daniel Bedingfield, David Bowie(Shoulda got it last year), Dizzee Rascal, Will Young.

British female solo artist:
Annie Lennox(Yes! She DID have an album out in 2003), Amy Winehouse, Jamelia, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Dido

British album:
Daniel Bedingfield - Gotta Get Thru This, Blur - Think Tank, The Coral - Magic and Medicine, The Darkness - Permission to Land, Dido - Life for Rent.

British Group:
Busted(jeez!), The Coral(mate!), Sugababes(jeez!), The Darkness, Radiohead.

British single:
Dido - White Flag, Jamelia - Superstar, Mis-Teeq - Scandalous, Rachel Stevens - Sweet Drams My LA Ex, Gareth Gates featuring The Kumars - Spirit in the Sky

British rock act:
Feeder, Muse, Primal Scream, Stereophonics, The Darkness.

British urban act:
Amy Winehouse, Big Brovaz, Dizzee Rascal, Lemar, Mis-Teeq

British dance act:
Basement Jaxx, Goldfrapp, Groove Armada, Kosheen, Lemon Jelly.

British breakthrough artist:
Busted(jeez!), Dizzee Rascal, Jamie Cullum, Lemar, The Darkness.

Pop act:
Black-eyed Peas, Busted, Christina Aguilera, Daniel Bedingfield, Justin Timberlake.

International male solo artist:
50(Fiddy!) Cent, Beck, Damien Rice, Justin Timberlake(a cake walk), Sean Paul.

International female solo artist:
Christina Aguilera(Really Dirrrty!), Beyonce Knowles(a cake walk), Kylie Minogue, Missy Elliott(if there is any justice).

International album:
Beyonce Knowles - Dangerously in Love, Christina Aguilera - Stripped, OutKast - Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, The White Stripes - Elephant(no contest), Justin Timberlake - Justified.

International group:
Black-eyed Peas(jeez!), Kings of Leon, OutKast, The Strokes, The White Stripes.

International breakthrough artist:
50(Fiddy!) Cent, Evanesence, Kings of Leon, Sean Paul(Please, no!), The Thrills(again, if there is any justice).

Outstanding contribution to music:
Duran Duran

Well, there'll be one award I can relate to and one performance I can sing along to.

:o)


posted by Darren | 11:40 PM
 

Rooney !



Football is NOT homo-erotic. Oh no.

posted by Darren | 10:37 PM


Wednesday, January 07, 2004  

Currently coveting:



Lexus RX 300

posted by Darren | 10:38 PM


Tuesday, January 06, 2004  

50 today, Anthony Minghella has made two of the most beautiful looking films of the past 10 years, The English Patient and The Talented Mr Ripley. John Seale(Cinematography) and Walter Murch(Film Editing) probably did most of the work and they've worked with him again on Cold Mountain, so I'm hoping that that will make it 3 of the best looking films of the last 10 years.

Couldn't be bothered to go to see it at the weekend, but if I can get up the inclination, and Dave can become interested in seeing this instead of American Splendor, we should be able to get in no bother this coming weekend, while everyone else goes to see Mr Cruise in The Last Samurai.

posted by Darren | 8:43 PM


Monday, January 05, 2004  

Nope.

Still no impetus/inclination/desire...

posted by Darren | 7:21 PM
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