You Shall Be The Fellowship Of The Ring...

Last night I got to visit Middle Earth for the first time this year (this year) with some people I hadn't seen it before, and some I had and still would. We had pizza, and fizzy drinks, and chips and dips, with garlic bread and some flat bread (carb on carb on carb). I think we all regret that lack of balance. 

I am probably one of the worst people to watch the Lord of the Rings with because I quote, I sing, and I expend knowledge of Middle Earth, the general plot, and boring trivia, that I doubt anyone wanted to hear (sorry guys). I think I even amazed Red at certain points as she turned to me in the questioning manner and simply said 'and you haven't read the books?'

I suppose it is weird being so passionate and knowledgeable about something without foreknowledge of the base text everything is based on (everything!).

It was a brilliant evening, despite my Middle Earth lessons, Cherry and I spoke about Immortality and Elves and Prophecies, Tag got to know a lot more about Balrogs and Fatty Bolger, and Red and I secretly mouthed along to most of the movie (I saw you!). 

It is easily my favourite film of ever. And I look forward to including the Hobbit in it's watching schedule. Could you imagine the length on that? It would go on so long, we could commission a cinema to show them all extended for some sort of charity event. Oh my God, I'm getting tingles just thinking about the prospect. 

I think my favourite part of last night was when Sam found Frodo trying to leave without any of them and he nearly drowned himself. I made a promise, Mr Frodo, a promise. Don't you leave him Samwise. And I don't mean to, I don't mean to. We were all quiet and emotional at that point. Well definitely quiet. But it was a nice gesture towards the movie, that it's still so powerful it can make us shut up and nut up. 

If you want to know more about the History of Aragon's hertiage or what happened to Gollum between the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings then Born of Hope and The Hunt for Gollum is certainly for you. A pair of well paid, low budget, fan filmed, short movies for your viewing pleasure...

I will take it!

Carpe diem, mellon...

Here It Is, The Great Battle Of Our Time...

Oh, my, God! It's here, it has come!  Today is the day that I leapt around outside Cardiff Central Station yesterday with Tag thinking about. It's the start of Lord of the Rings Day part 1.

Its been so long, and I can't friggin' wait to see it all again!

I've got an idea, perhaps we watch them all in different locations every movie. So the first is at mine, obvs, because you're all coming over this evening. But the second and third you guys can fight over. One gets Two Towers, the other the Return of the King...

Could you imagine if they did what they're doing with the Hobbit to the Lord of the Rings. I reckon you'd only need like six movies, and possibly double the runtime of the Extendeds to 23 hours and 20 minutes. Could you imagine?! My Godfather kept rating all the movies, as he went to see them, as bum numbing, and yes they certainly would me.

The world is changed, I feel it in the water, I feel it in the earth, I smell it in the air. Much that once was is lost, for none now live who remember it.

The opening lines that forged a fandom. Frodo was originally going to say them in the movie, but that didn't make sense so they got Galadriel to say it instead. They're actually lines from Treebeard in the Two Towers. Odd that don't you think?

Could you imagine if the Barrow Wrights and Tom Bombadil were in this one? Glorfindel? Hell, Fatty Bolger and Radagast!

Either way, I think I've geeked out a little too much. I spent lots of money yesterday on Christmas and I estimate that was only a third of what I needed. Shit's gonna get real soon. But payday just happened. And I thought it was going to be tomorrow. Going to be an impressive amount of gifts for people this year I think. Who knows?

Catching Fire was good, and I went in there with no expectations other than the ones I carried from The Hunger Games. It's sometimes good to be ignorant...

Carpe diem my preciouses!...

I'd Slay A Dragon For Her If Need Be...

And I think that's about the geekiest/not normal thing to say at this juncture. Not sure where I planned on going after that, but perhaps I'll just start rambling and see where that gets me...

Yesterday, after much working, I trudged home to find a Red on my sofa, as I was expecting, and a Pill and Lee in the kitchen discussing plans on how to take over the world. I think I've already said this, but our house is quite the communal one. We're all welcome, whenever. Either way, I was a tad annoyed that she had been left to sit quietly by herself, but little did I know, she had been texting a guy the entire time - the slut! 

Let me add a few details about last night, that Red neglected to mention...

He apparently reads (its good to be literate in this day and age), is a business consultant at the age of 25 (obviously the most boring person in the world), and has clients (which all business consultants should have otherwise their not doing their job). I think it's safe to say I don't like him, so she's probably on to a winner (I said those exact words, but obviously in the present tense, and to her face).

I feel a bit more grown up now. Sort of. Well, I suppose you can't get too grown up after all.

I got my first interaction on POF too this morning. Number 1! (funny story about a ranking system, but I might let Red talk to you all about POF Science). Yeah, the poor girl isn't anything I'm looking for, but then I realised that she had rated me on the 'Hot or Not' POF equivalent, essentially (Hi Tag) saying 'I'd do you.'

All in all, this week's getting to be a busy one, and I do really like it. Reminds me of when we used to do loads of stuff every other day. Bring it on. And I can't wait for freakin' Fellowship of the Ring. It has been too long! I'm getting shivers of excitement already. There's my passion I think. And I also think, it must have to be my most favouritest movie of all time (the whole trilogy). I need the Extendeds (hint, hint).

I'm going to see Catching Fire tonight with the Swingers after work. IMAX yo! (you IMAX virgin!)

But for now Carpe diem you lucky few!...

Interesting Day...

It has to be said, yesterday was one of my more interesting days since the Summer. And before I get started, I just wanted to say thank you for your kind messages after yesterday's post, it wasn't a cry for help, but I'm glad you're there. Anyway, interesting day...

As the cold dark evenings roll in and darkness becomes an ever present consciousness we might find it hard to be happy. I should know, I've lived with it and have parent(s) who do the same (I didn't say that). It's called SAD (ironically enough), Seasonal Affective Disorder, whereby the lack of sunlight doesn't allow the chemicals in your brain to work correctly and therefore you project most of the symptoms of depression whereby you sleep more, you lose interest in life, and interest in just about anything...

Obviously, I'm not the worst case in the world, but everyone has there off days, as I said yesterday.

So, with all that in mind, two things happened to me yesterday and both intrigued me enough to make it feel adventurous. OhItsJustKim came to see me for the sake of coming to see me, which was nice. (Have you met Kim?) But also, probably because I asked her whether or not she had been to VidCon, she invited me to a YouTube Gathering on the 7th and 8th of December outside Central Station. I think I can probably do the Sunday. I was glad of the invite and we stood and talked for about an hour more or less, which was weird as I was in work. And she said how she'd like to introduce me to her friends and we could all hang out some time. I was quite taken aback, but all things considered, I'm up for trying something new.

And along the lines of trying something new, I join PlentyOfFish.com last night (for the lolz), and have yet to receive a single message. I imagine Men have to do most of the messaging as I convinced Red to join too, and she got almost 40 messages in the hour. Tag then got involved and lectured us on how it's advertised on bad websites and that even the most sordid people he knows wouldn't go near the sight. 

Well, at least it's something to focus on and a bit of fun at the end of the day. Isn't life odd?

Carpe diem folks!...

I Am Not Depressed...

Well I was going to talk to you about yesterday where I wandered the realms of Skyrim, walked to the Bay and back, and then ate an all-you-can-eat (not a challenge) Chinese, before Red came over for a cuppa. Though, instead I thought I'd write about something Red mentioned, and I have now watched...

TomSka's new video:

Now, I won't go as far to say that I am/was depressed, or to say that there's something wrong with me, because for all we know, there's not. And as I keep saying to everyone I work with 'everyone has their off days'. But I've certainly been through some things. I've spent days in bed wondering why, I've woken up angry and sad and just mad at the world, I was a very angry child too. And I'm glad that I've grown out that stage, no one likes angry people. Pill says its not good to bottle it up, and Red even said yesterday that arguing was healthy. That makes sense, but I just don't an urge to be angry or to argue. 

On Thursday, I had a bad day. Just one of those days were you wake up and decide everything can go fuck itself. You know, a bad day. I sort of revisited it Saturday lunchtime when I pictured punching a few members of the public, and tearing them a new one. But anyway, my confessor made me sit down and tell her everything. And I did for the most part. She was trying to make sure it wasn't my friends making me this way, and it wasn't, it was just a bad day. In the past when I've had bad months and seasons I've always gone to visit Tag and Cherry, and slept on their sofa and refused to move. They're not the problem, I am. 

And it was suggested to me that I runaway, leave everything behind. Which I know certainly goes into the whole getting away, visiting somewhere new, having somewhere different to explore. And it seems everyone might be on similar pages - who'da thought? I've thought about running away in the past, but I was told that I can't run from life, I should just get on with it. And this time, I wasn't thinking of getting out, I'm not ready to drop everything and leave. I can't. It makes my stomach turn thinking about it. 

We all need a holiday, a long holiday, and I don't expect that we should return. (I am so psyched about Lord of the Rings on Friday!)

That bit where TomSka says that he's lost his passion for life, and everything else. That was me about a year or more ago. I had no desire to do anything. And I was even at the stage where I was thinking about suicide, but I knew I couldn't or wouldn't do that to myself. It's odd when you reason with yourself. But for now, I've got and for that matter, re-found, my writing. And as long as I've got something, I've got something to keep me sane (ish). 

Thanks for listening guys, good talk.

Music helps too.

Carpe diem guys!

Stress Levels...

Do you know some people think I'm stressed? 

Apparently I'm quite cool in the waking world. I know my shit, I can fly with the best of them (and that's not street), and yet I have awful dreams and nightmares, I continue to bite my tongue in my sleep, and I can't eat anything without feeling quite ill. Perhaps I'll just stick to coffee and milkshakes. Who needs food anyway?

Pill, DarkHorse and I went to the pub last night to watch the game. It was nice, and it wasn't too busy. I was nearly asleep in my chair when the full-time whistle was blown. I have no idea why I zonked out so much, but the walk home woke me up for another three hours. 

Everytime I think about writing now it calms me. Well, not calms me. I start thinking about a world that's not our own, and a place that I control, and where the possibilities are becoming more and more plausible each day. They're not, but you know what I mean I hope. It's been the tiniest of sparks in my life of work and play, and it's certainly something new to focus on. 

I know I've started sounding like a madman recently. And 'one of those people' who talk about their books all the time, but I honestly don't mean to. There are lots and lots of scenes in my head just playing over and over, each time perfecting themselves, and the nasty ones get worse. Perhaps that's where the nightmares come from. 

I might go back on the Kalms. We'll see what happens tonight. 

Carpe Diem...

Things I Didn't Know...

Did you know I like to lift my chin and look down my nose at strangers, flaring my nostrils in a primal and subliminal act to intimidate the intruder?

Neither did I.

I had a talk yesterday and I got some good advise: 'Contentment is fine at your age. You're not meant to know what your passions are yet. You're still, for a couple more years yet, trying to find out who you are, and if you're content with how you are now, then be content. But make sure that the contentment doesn't turn into complacency. You've got a good character and I don't think you will. You'll go travelling soon, you'll write more, you'll be happier than you are now. So be content for now, and don't worry what others think of it.'

It was a good talk.

Yesterday I was having a bad day. Did anyone else feel ill after Le Lake Poob Food? I was working my short day, getting in two hours later and leaving an hour later than normal - I felt weird all day. I don't think I did very much all day. But Sunday's coming, and I've decided that I'm not going to walk to Castell Coch - mainly because I want to do that with peeps if peeps still want to, so perhaps I'll just enjoy the park all over again. Starting the day with a nice walk around the park is a good way of starting your day. That and nice coffee, fruit, pastries, perhaps with a roast in the oven for dinner...

Ideas, ideas...

Red came over yesterday for dinner, it was nice with wine and everything. No one else was invited because I was told by everyone else that they had already had plans and there was only one spare bowl of food going, not four. I will admit that I've been very lazy recently. Pill has cooked everything I've been eating for a while now. I will cook Banoffee Pie on Sunday with, perhaps, a small roast shoulder of pork (I love crackling). Though DarkHorse doesn't like Pork. Maybe I won't. Perhaps something new. To the cookbooks I go!

Have a better day than me, Carpe diem you beautiful lot!