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Books

Hogwarts Movie

Yeah, I did see the Harry Potter (and the Philosopher’s Stone) movie a couple of weeks ago. I really liked the books, in spite of my inclination to expect they would suck. Well, the movie was just okay… most of the cast was great, with Robbie Coltrane shining in particular, but… somehow, the pacing and direction seemed kinda flat. To me, anyway. I imagine it’d be quite confusing to people who’ve not read the books, due to the condensing of a lot of stuff. It was okay; just not great.

Hogwarts Movie

I still need to see Lord of the Rings.
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Dodged Bullet

Oh, I was almost on BBC News yesterday. They were doing a thing about the (yawn) rail cock-ups at New Street station, and in spite of my best efforts to avoid it, I almost certainly walked into shot on two occasions. I saw the report, though, and the bits with me on it weren’t used. *phew*
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Pet Problems

Monday was a bit of a drama with our poor, ailing pooch, Fred. He seemed in quite a lot of discomfort and losing more blood than usual (usual being in the context of his illness). So off we went to the vet, completely expecting Fred to not be coming home with us. It was really quite traumatic.

However, the vet would not recommend putting him to sleep. The decision was in our hands. He suggested doubling the dose of Fred’s medication, and advised us to monitor his ‘quality of life’—that if he seemed in constant discomfort, that would be an indication that perhaps the time had come.

Well, as it has turned out, this was just a bad day, and the vet was right to be cautious. He’s seemed reasonably okay since then. We all know he won’t be around for too much longer, but it’s no joke to go through the experience of thinking it’s the end… and when it isn’t, knowing you’re going to go through it all again sometime.
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Goodbye Chrimbo

YES! Christmas is over. Should I be glad? Don’t really know. Anyway, I wish everyone a great New Year.

It wasn’t the worst Christmas ever… I’ve spent a lot of time (maybe too much) re-reading Lord of the Rings, which I had not experienced since… oh, maybe 1985. I figured I should do this if I plan to see the film sometime, as I don’t remember all that much about it and, if I have criticisms, I’d like them to be well informed.
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After the Hiatus

What can I say? I’ve been stranded without a computer for a whole month, which is the longest I’ve gone offline/disconnected… for a few centuries. My computer died, poor old thing. And not gracefully. It belched and seethed and just kinda gave up the ghost. Poof! Bye-bye! Etc.

Actually, it was probably the CPU, which had apparently been running without a fan for a few months—so that was what those funny noises were! And odd how they stopped a while back. Erm, yes. Well, I can’t have looks and brains. Ahem. So, seeing as the thing was generally in a crummy old state anyway, I quickly lost interest in getting it patched up… and £250 I can by no means afford later, I now have a decidedly average but adequate refurbished thingy. It’ll do for a while, anyhoo.
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Reading

Yup, almost two weeks since last entry, and I wish there was a lot to report, but it’s been mostly a time of thinking, along with a fair bit of reading. I’ve just read the first collection of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories, which are very entertaining. I’ll probably read the others when I have chance, but I have a lot of other stuff to read, too.
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This and That

A bit of retail therapy today, in anticipation of being skint very soon (said therapy pretty much guarantees that!). Most importantly, I bought a new jacket for while the weather is still a bit bobbins: I won’t describe the horror that was my only other coat suited to the weather, but suffice it to say this was a necessary purchase.

I’ve been trying to track down someone who would move the rest of my stuff into the flat for less than £50. This is an uncertain situation at the moment, but even if it does cost £50, it’s being done next Thursday or Friday. I hope I can get it cheaper, but enough’s enough.

I decided to re-read some H.P. Lovecraft recently. I realised it’d been about ten years at least since I’d read any of his stuff—I have a three-volume set of his work I bought eons ago.
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