Weekend by movie

It's been NINE days since I last updated. In that time, I have taken two exams, both of which I think went satisfactorily. I have also started reading Joseph Conrad's The Secret Agent, which is so far proving to be good research/inspiration for a piece that's beginning to develop in my head.

I saw two films this past weekend. Yesterday I saw Revenge of the Sith, which I really enjoyed. As I've heard most people say, it is the far superior film of the recent trilogy. People say that the acting was terrible, and it was, but I'm not sure anything better should be expected from a Star Wars movie. Special effects were great, story was great, and as a whole the experience was a great one.

The other film I saw was La Belle et la Bete (1946) [Beauty and the Beast]. This was a great film by mastermind Jean Cocteau. It's in French, it's black-and-white, it's live-action, and it's wonderful. Anybody who thinks the animated Disney version is definitive needs to watch this film.

Other than that, I'm trying to get a jump-start on studying for my last exam, as to not leave it all to the last minute and be miserable. Today: Terrorism.

Chess

I think I'm going to get into chess again. What a great game.

Awful Predicament

So I'm also having a little bit of a problem. Well, it's a pretty big problem. I've been listening to the Radiohead album The Bends lately, and it's really damn good. As is My Iron Lung. And of course best of all is OK Computer. Or is it best of all? That's the problem. The utter excellence of all of these albums is making it incredibly difficult for me to complete a mental hierarchy. This has many practical implications. For example, let's say I'm going to the library from my flat and want to listen to some music on the way. The commute is about 20-25 minutes door-to-door. My Iron Lung (the EP) is just over 28 minutes, making it pretty attractive for the time I have. OK Computer is closer to 49 minutes, but it is ridiculously good, and therefore worthwhile in whatever doses I can get it. And now The Bends, at 48.5 minutes, is seeming better and better. All I'm trying to do is enjoy my time while getting to the library, but I'm forced to make these impossible decisions because Radiohead is such a god-damn brilliant band.

Another example: I'm trying to make a top-five list of my favorite albums. Well, OK Computer has to go on that list, no question. Or does it? Is my favorite album based on its components, or the over-all product? Overall, OK Computer is the superior album, but The Bends gives it a run for its money when individual songs are taken into account.

Shit, I can't take this anymore.

Rainy Afternoon

So it's been a little while since I've last posted. And an even longer while since I've last posted anything substantive. Accept my apologies. I don't really feel like writing an extensive amount about the practical goings on in my life over the past week, so I'll make that part quick: Had my first exam, it was fine. Studied a bunch, it's a pain. More to come.

Also, and I'll keep this brief too (reserving the right for further discussion at a later date), I went to the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre last night to see The Tempest, which was a ton of fun. I didn't know much about the play, so yesterday afternoon I read it, which was really, really helpful. You see, the play was performed by only three actors (while there are many more than three roles), so it would have been very confusing if I wasn't already familiar with the characters and plot. There's much more to say, but now is not the time.

Okay, so the unimportant practical stuff is out of the way. I've lately been having some grandiose thoughts about life - both in general and mine in particular. To state the obvious, it's all very overwhelming. Caution needs to be thrown to the wind, I think. The risks of doing otherwise are baneful. Hmm...Other than that, I think I need to think about things some more.

And so it's a rainy afternoon in London, and as I look out my eighth-floor window at the mass of buildings and trees that are the city, I take comfort in the rain. There is a cool breeze blowing in through the window, which is open just a crack, and it feels good on my bare arms and legs. Right now, this is where I am meant to be. The city is quiet, and so am I.

I'm still chugging along like a choo-choo train.

Study, Fear and Loathing

Wow - I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while. Truth be told, not much has been happening in my life outside of studying for exams. I'm starting to get a bit anxious about it all, but I think that's a good thing - I'll actually be motivated to get down to business and hit the books.

Yesterday I booked my flight home. I will be back on U.S. soil the night of Thursday, June 16, scheduled to land at 11:10 p.m.

The other day I finished reading Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, which was amazing. Not only did it confirm my desire to go into journalism when I'm done at Clark, but it also completely changed my perspective on life. Since I finished that book, I've been thinking about things differently and, well, I guess my approach to life has changed. Anyway, if you haven't read it yet, pick it up. It's worth it.

May Day Weekend

Great weekend! Yesterday (Monday) was a bank holiday here in the U.K. for May Day, which was actually on Sunday. I had four girls visiting and staying with me from Saturday evening to Monday morning. I gave them a tour of the whole of London on Sunday, and had a great time with them. They were a good lot.

Yesterday I went and saw The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which was a lot of fun. I don't want to spoil anything for those who haven't seen it, but I'll say this: It wasn't just like the book, or series of books, but I didn't expect it to be. The characters are the same, and most of the storyline(s) came from the book, but there were things added. Kind of interesting, really. Contrary to many adaptations, they were true to a lot of the details and smaller points of the book while giving the overarching story a bit of a makeover. I'm fine with this, though, for a few reasons. First, the screenplay was written by Douglas Adams. Second, this is just another of many forms the series has taken (originally a radio series, it has evolved into a series of books, a televisions series, a board game, and even a towel). And while it's a bit disappointing to see it hijacked to fit in for an "American" audience, I do appreciate their efforts to keep it British, and think they did a good job. Let me be clear: this was a very enjoyable film which I liked immensely.

Today I had my last lecture of the year, as well as one of my last classes, which was a very helpful two-hour revision class. With a couple of exceptions, the next few weeks will be filled with unstructured, individual studying.