Monday, February 18, 2008

Back up to speed (ish)

And … he's back!

Hello.

It seems like ages since I've written anything substantial here, so bear with me if things appear a bit rusty. Imagine me learning how to ride a bike - I've got stabilisers, um, stabilising, and am kitted out with every conceivable piece of padding.

So with all that in mind, and a little wobble … we're off!

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As you may have noticed, I've slapped a new little widget over there on the right that records my Nike+ running data. All sounds exciting, huh? Well it is.

Unfortunately, things didn't start off too smoothly with the Nike+ kit - basically because I'm a smidgeon retarded rather than anything inherently wrong with the technology itself. The problem came from my attempt to calibrate the sensor - I was stupidly running too far. I got it done on the second attempt, so all's good now. 

Well, I say 'all is good.' 

My latest problem stems from the fact that on all the sample graphs I've seen in the demos the wiggly line is actually quite consistently level - indicating a regular running pace - whereas mine is … not. Look at that one there - it looks like an outline of Alfred Hitchcock facedown. Marcosy emailed me today to say that I must be like a toddler on a sugar high while running. Either that or I've got a massive club foot. To be honest, I thought I was running at a reasonably consistent pace (aside from that little squiggle on the upward curve towards the end when I was almost run over), so that graph came as something of a shock. Still, it's something to work on, which is, I s'pose, the reason I bought the kit in the first place.

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Had a day of cinema on Saturday, catching two movies which curiously both began with the letter 'J' (this almost turned into an episode of Sesame Street there, huh?). First up was Juno at Shepherds Bush in the early afternoon with Yaz. Now the first third of this film was ruined by a group of mouthy teenagers who insisted on talking loudly and making phone calls. Fortunately they were too mentally-inhibited to actually understand a film without an explosion every 15 seconds, and they subsequently left to sneak into a screening of Jumper. 

Anyway, I enjoyed Juno - maybe not as much as I'd hoped (which may be down to the mutant chavs), but I definitely would be up for seeing it again. 

There was a satisfactory conclusion to the experience though; we came out of the showing and demanded to see the manager, who looked alarmingly like Pedro from Napoleon Dynamite. Pedro actually knew that there was a bunch of trouble makers in the cinema, but despite telling his staff to check in every few minutes, they didn't. Anyway, we passed on the revelation that they were now wreaking havoc in the Jumper screening, and he passed on two complimentary tickets.

Chavs - 0
Us - 1

Vote for Pedro!

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Later on in the evening I headed off to Kingston cinema to catch Jumper with my big bro. Despite the reasonably crappy reviews, it was a highly entertaining, but nevertheless not very memorable film. But I did love that bit where … Um, what was that bit? Er … Bugger it, I can't remember.

I kind of recommend it if you're in the mood for a big dumb action flick though.

36 comments:

Dinah said...

It does look like Hitchcock! That's awesome! Keep an eye out in case it suddenly transforms into the Virgin Mary or something.

I'm afraid I've overhyped Juno...and the first third was not my favourite part.

Woo hoo for free tickets! I got a free set last year when I went to see...that one with Brad Pitt and the naked Japanese girl...Babel, and the fire alarm went off about five minutes from the end.

WillowC said...

Hurray, you're back!

\o/

That's a little cheering dude, I thought I would add to your smiley repertoire now that you've been suckered in.

I shall be gazing hopefully at my inbox, awaiting an email regarding Mr Depp's singing abilities.

Dinah - my GOD that must have been irritating.

Dinah said...

It wasn't that bad...I was already sort of over the movie, and the alarm had been going off for about five minutes already...when it was just beep--------beep---------beep we all just sat there but eventually it escalated to beep!beep!beep!BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEP and then we all got up and left. And then they gave us free movie passes.

Miss Smuggersham said...

Dinah, you didn't hype up Juno too much at all. It's a lovely movie and funny as well! I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Juno and Jumper, eh? I plan to see Jumper because even though Anakin can't act worth a damn (in my opinion) he is so very, very pretty.

Inexplicable DeVice said...

I'm definitely going to see Jumper, but it'll be for the concept rather than any story or acting. Perhaps for a little bit of prettiness.

Juno after work today, though!

And I did notice yet more flirting with CyberPoo in the previous post's comments, but I am not going to rise to the provocation.
In fact, I think I might file my claw- I mean, nails. Or wash my hair.

Tara said...

A Pedro lookalike would've made up for the inconsiderate yutes if they had been kicked out of the theatre.

CyberPete said...

Me like pretty

So, Juno and Jumper? I should write that down.

IDV go shampoo your hair and give yourself a facial. You look awfully stressed out

and put that wand down

Inexplicable DeVice said...

Is it any wonder I'm stressed out with my stalkee being stalked by a new stalker?

Miss Smuggersham said...

Let's not fight, gentlemen. I am sure there is some way you can sort this out... amicably.

Tim said...

Dinah - I'm aiming for a profile outline of William Shatner. Or maybe the Enterprise? This will require precision!

Willowc - It looks like a basic version of Munch's The Scream! As for the cinema, weekday evenings are still out, I'm afraid. I'll email you nonetheless, if only to laugh at your chair-based mishaps.

Dinah - Are you sure it wasn't just a lorry reversing?

T-Bird - No, Juno wasn't overly-hyped at all. It was a lovely film slightly ruined by chavs. I love the Mouldy Peaches song they sing at the end (Juno and Beaker, that is, not the chavs. Melodic chavs would be something to behold - and then ASBO).

Inexplicable Device - Unlike some people, I don't flirt in the comments!

Tara - Pedro did kind of make it worthwhile, especially as he was bearing free tickets!

Cyberpete - Me like biscuits. IDV's massive eye is looking a tad weary, isn't it?

IDV - I'm confused.

T-Bird - Can't they just have a massive fight?

WillowC said...

It was a SERIOUS chair issue, I'll have you know. And this thing still doesn't feel right, but I've tried it every which way so I give up.

The Scream? Dude, you're totally too sophisticated for smileys.

Tim said...

Have you tried rocking back and forth on it?

And hell yeah I'm too sophisticated - I'd raise an eyebrow but my monocle would fall out.

WillowC said...

Well at first it didn't rock back and forth, it rocked forward and *splat*, because I put the base thinger on wrong. Now the only problem seems to be that the headrest makes me Sit Like An Egyptian.

o.O <---- you wearing a monocle.

Inexplicable DeVice said...

But surely your butler would catch it?

* goes for a lie down *

Jenkins? I don't want to be disturbed!

Inexplicable DeVice said...

Heh heh! WillowC's monocle imression of you is VERY amusing!

Dammit Jenkins! I said I didn't want to be disturbed!!

Tim said...

Willowc - Better that than walk like an Egyptian…

Hmmm… it doesn't show my cravat…

IDV - That's my butler - STOP TRYING TO STEAL MY BUTLER!

Inexplicable DeVice said...

Gods. No wonder he's so useless. Where's my butler, then? Whay isn't he butlering?

WillowC said...

Shouldn't that be 'butling'?

Always wondered...

o.O
v~~ <--- added cravat

Inexplicable DeVice said...

More to the point, shouldn't I have said be 'why'? and not 'whay'?

I like the way the cravat is blowing to one side in the breeze created from opening and shaking out The Times...

Tim said...

IDV - You probably scared him off. Or he realised he was nothing more than cannon fodder in the forthcoming zombie war.

Willowc - Are you sure that's a cravat? It looks more like an excessively large incisor to me…

IDV - Because you're a special? I dunno, just a shot in the dark…

Dinah said...

I LOVE the monocle.

I was going to make a comment about CyberPete catching more flies with honey, but that seemed to lead into a fly/zipper/honey/sticky area that I wasn't sure I wanted to get into. Um, so to speak.

Tim said...

It does make raising an eyebrow troublesome though, and anyone who knows me knows that I do like to raise an eyebrow every now and then.

Like Spock.

Interesting place you were going with that analogy Dinah…

Inexplicable DeVice said...

Dammit. Now I want to get into that area.

A shot in the dark, Tim?! I knew it!! You know what that's a euphemism for, don't you?

Tim said...

Is that what we would call a 'honey trap?'

And no. No I don't. YA PERVERT!

Miss Smuggersham said...

Mmm. Honey.

Inexplicable DeVice said...

We might call it such a thing, yes.

And I fail to see what's so perverse about taking a wild guess?

* baffled *

Tim said...

T-Bird - I could right go some honey and warm milk. I've developed quite a taste for it, don't ya know.

Inexplicable Device - I'm not saying anything, because it usually ends up with you twisting my words into something rude or crude.

So there.

skillz said...

Good job on the running dude! Your widget is reminiscient of the intro to Eastenders in 10 years time when all the pollution has turned the river a healthy glowing green.

Tim said...

Skillz - Damn right it is! I think I'm developing a whole new hobby in seeing what I can get my graph to look like. Although that will mean me doing some rather eccentric steps while out running…

Inexplicable DeVice said...

You'll be recruited into the Ministry for Silly Walks: Running Division before you know it.

Tim said...

What a sterling idea!

missyandchrissy said...

we're a bit late - but welcome back, tim! the blogosphere wasn't the same without you.

and we like that snazzy new widget you got there, most especially its slimer-colored squiggle.

Miss Smuggersham said...

Mmmm. Slimer.

Tim said...

Missy&Chrissy - Aaah, you're too kind! And a comment with a Ghostbusters reference? Awesome!

T-Bird - Wasn't Slimer awesome?

Inexplicable DeVice said...

OMG Tim! Get over to Tazzy & Piggy's now - What a show!!

Tim said...

Hmmm! The undiscovered country, I believe!