I've just tidied my desk in my studio space.
It feels so good to have a wide space to work in rather than a 30cm square gap in all my rubble.
I'm about to... (interrupted train of thought as Gerry and Bill pop in to say hi and then wander off again to look at other peoples work)
Erm, yeah, look up an artist called Brian Alfred who has been suggested to me. Maybe his animations will be relevant to my future work.
Hopefully they will, and the internet will speed up soon over here.
Last week the SSAGO social was the White Cross Pub Quiz.
Our team, Albert (because of Albert Stroller), got 73. Which is a damn respectable score as that quiz is difficult!
We beat the two other SSAGO teams and game 5th in the pub, we also won some chocolate for correctly guessing 93 weeks in a speed answer question about Paul McCartney.
Due Date was alright, it was entertaining at least. It wasn't good, I wouldn't bother with it again, but it wasn't bad either. It seemed a little disjointed, some of the ideas seemed to have been just thrown in for the sake of it. It didn't gel and I wasn't too fussed how it all ended up as neither of the main characters were wholly likeable.
A Town Called Panic was pretty odd. It was so ruddy strange and loud, the noises were harsh. The colours were too much and the movement (because it was animated) was was jumpy. Reading the text meant that you got distracted and missed things!
While I was at home last week I got to see Tangled which was a seriously beautiful film.
So Disney, wonderful songs, a strong and feisty female lead.
A charming and cute male lead. An ADORABLE chameleon companion.
A devious nasty witchy "mother"...
I adored it and I will watch it again many times I'm sure.
Today I bought myself a t-shirt. It's the 11 Doctors and they're all stood on some Escher-like stairs.
I'm in love with it already and I cannot WAIT 'til it arrives!
Monday, 28 February 2011
Saturday, 19 February 2011
5 times
This is my fifth attempt to talk to you this week.
I'm just going to do the film reviews that are overdue and leave it at that.
My creative writing failed me and I'm not in the mood right now to blog about anything else!
Since the travesty that was Buried I've actually seen some alright films.
The Kids Are Alright
Okay, I liked the characters (two lesbian Mum's, their two kids and their sperm donor) and it made me cry, the plot was new and it was vaguely compelling. Not the best film ever though.
Burke and Hare (Which I nearly called Borgin and Burke)
Dead bodies have never been funnier. Simon Pegg, Bill Bailey, Gollum (sorry, what! I forgot the actor's name!) and other famous faces made this comedy quite great. Not sure that I'd watch it again soon but I wouldn't skip it if it turned up on tv in a few years.
Let Me In
A disappointing remake. If you can stand watching things with subtitles and you want a vampire film with proper vampires that burn in the sun, check out Let The Right One In. I suppose I should read the book, I've been told that it's worth it! (I liked the original btw).
Another Year
A slow dip into the life of two old people and their friends. Jim Broadbent made this one good, oh and his brother Argus Filch (well, the actor but I'm not going to google it, you know who I mean!). It was a bit bland and it ended abruptly. It was also fairly downbeat toward the end.
RED
Best film at the cinema this term by a long shot. It was exciting and powerful and brilliantly acted. I grew to love the characters, there were unexpected moments and predictable ones too. Well worth it for the old age CIA agents bringing it back in a great way. Ahhh.
Serenity
We watched this on dvd after watching all of the brilliant Firefly. It was a good film, very good. :)
An honourable mention goes to the gosh darn fantastic magnificent best thing ever that is Firefly which we watched in its entirety over the last week. 14 episodes is not enough. Damn it Fox, you should never have cancelled it!
If you don't like it you cannot be my gorram friend. (If you haven't seen it yet that's ok, just get watching it now!)
I'm just going to do the film reviews that are overdue and leave it at that.
My creative writing failed me and I'm not in the mood right now to blog about anything else!
Since the travesty that was Buried I've actually seen some alright films.
The Kids Are Alright
Okay, I liked the characters (two lesbian Mum's, their two kids and their sperm donor) and it made me cry, the plot was new and it was vaguely compelling. Not the best film ever though.
Burke and Hare (Which I nearly called Borgin and Burke)
Dead bodies have never been funnier. Simon Pegg, Bill Bailey, Gollum (sorry, what! I forgot the actor's name!) and other famous faces made this comedy quite great. Not sure that I'd watch it again soon but I wouldn't skip it if it turned up on tv in a few years.
Let Me In
A disappointing remake. If you can stand watching things with subtitles and you want a vampire film with proper vampires that burn in the sun, check out Let The Right One In. I suppose I should read the book, I've been told that it's worth it! (I liked the original btw).
Another Year
A slow dip into the life of two old people and their friends. Jim Broadbent made this one good, oh and his brother Argus Filch (well, the actor but I'm not going to google it, you know who I mean!). It was a bit bland and it ended abruptly. It was also fairly downbeat toward the end.
RED
Best film at the cinema this term by a long shot. It was exciting and powerful and brilliantly acted. I grew to love the characters, there were unexpected moments and predictable ones too. Well worth it for the old age CIA agents bringing it back in a great way. Ahhh.
Serenity
We watched this on dvd after watching all of the brilliant Firefly. It was a good film, very good. :)
An honourable mention goes to the gosh darn fantastic magnificent best thing ever that is Firefly which we watched in its entirety over the last week. 14 episodes is not enough. Damn it Fox, you should never have cancelled it!
If you don't like it you cannot be my gorram friend. (If you haven't seen it yet that's ok, just get watching it now!)
Thursday, 10 February 2011
Heart to Heart
I'm currently sitting on my swivel chair in E12 (my room on campus) and watching the little lights of cars as they pootle around the roundabout.
I dislike the look of the word roundabout. It's unpleasant.
Nifty, however, is a very lovely word in both sound and appearance.
I used to blog like this all the time. Tell you all about me, about what I'd been up to. The discussions we'd had in English or the comments from car journeys.
A lot of my life is sitting by myself listening to musicals and painting or drawing or plain thinking.
Another lot of my life is spent watching moving images; videos on youtube, films at the cinema, tv shows on iPlayer and James playing Runescape.
I spend hours and hours every day with James. I can't understand people who don't want to spend every moment with their significant other.
I'm trying to read a bit every day (currently in Lord of the Rings Two Towers) and I'm also updating my proper website with my artwork nearly every day.
I read through the skype conversation that I have called "the sexbucket" it's a load of awesome internet friends and my sister (who is also an awesome internet friend).
I don't listen to the radio and I find out my news through youtube and tumblr.
I always intend to make food before heading out to art in the morning but I often find I'll meander over and I'll get there and be working and then realise I didn't. So I buy more ready made sandwiches than I should.
I talk to Paige the most in art, she's pretty awesome and I don't even know if you know that I have a friend called Paige. Which is sad.
If I blogged more I'd spend less time "living" and more time "recording" but I miss it. I seriously miss my diary of events.
So, what do you think?
Should I try and make blogging a daily or at least every 3 days or so occurrence?
James is writing a story that should be made public in March.
I think once we hit March I'll be back blogging more often.
Toodles for now!
I dislike the look of the word roundabout. It's unpleasant.
Nifty, however, is a very lovely word in both sound and appearance.
I used to blog like this all the time. Tell you all about me, about what I'd been up to. The discussions we'd had in English or the comments from car journeys.
A lot of my life is sitting by myself listening to musicals and painting or drawing or plain thinking.
Another lot of my life is spent watching moving images; videos on youtube, films at the cinema, tv shows on iPlayer and James playing Runescape.
I spend hours and hours every day with James. I can't understand people who don't want to spend every moment with their significant other.
I'm trying to read a bit every day (currently in Lord of the Rings Two Towers) and I'm also updating my proper website with my artwork nearly every day.
I read through the skype conversation that I have called "the sexbucket" it's a load of awesome internet friends and my sister (who is also an awesome internet friend).
I don't listen to the radio and I find out my news through youtube and tumblr.
I always intend to make food before heading out to art in the morning but I often find I'll meander over and I'll get there and be working and then realise I didn't. So I buy more ready made sandwiches than I should.
I talk to Paige the most in art, she's pretty awesome and I don't even know if you know that I have a friend called Paige. Which is sad.
If I blogged more I'd spend less time "living" and more time "recording" but I miss it. I seriously miss my diary of events.
So, what do you think?
Should I try and make blogging a daily or at least every 3 days or so occurrence?
James is writing a story that should be made public in March.
I think once we hit March I'll be back blogging more often.
Toodles for now!
Saturday, 5 February 2011
Not Up To Scratch
The Town
Ben Affleck's acting was superb and the story was compelling. It wasn't the best film ever but it was much better than some of the others this term. It wasn't clever bank robbery in the way that Hustle or Oceans or Lucky Break manage it but it was swift and well planned. Also, Pete Postlethwaite was the florist who they used to get their money into the system.
The Social Network
I really liked this film, it was dramatic and compelling and the characters were so well crafted and acted. It ended abruptly and I'm not sure I could watch it again soon. Overall it is worth watching, especially if you've ever had anything to do with Facebook.
Proof
This one was on iPlayer, it was Gwyneth Paltrow and Jake Gyllenhaal and it was pretty good. Few characters, a plot about maths and madness.
Mary and Max
An animation about pen-pals. An 8 year old girl and a 40something man, she Australian and he American. She inquisitive and chocolate loving, he Aspergers and chocolate loving. It told the story from their first letter until Mary was in her 20s. At times it was depressing and creepy and downright odd. I wouldn't recommend it but it wasn't the worst thing ever.
Buried
This is the first film we ever walked out of. I don't regret it at all.
We watched the first 30 minutes or so and then it broke, we waited thinking if they got it fixed soon then we might as well see how much worse it could get. After a 5 minute wait we decided that the start hadn't been good enough at all so we'd just look up the plot online.
Seriously, a guy buried in a box with a phone and a lighter and some pens. He's constantly burning the oxygen and he somehow has signal underground. He is rude to all the people on the phone who might help him. Apparently later on he finds a bag with a knife in it that somehow he hadn't seen before and a snake gets in. I wasn't remotely bothered about if he lived or died, (he dies) and it's all just dramatic rubbish. For the first 30 seconds the screen was entirely black while you heard heavy breathing. Worse than Goodbye Solo. So that makes it the worst film ever!
We might re-watch Inception tonight. Or just Hustle...
Anyway.
That's all folks.
Ben Affleck's acting was superb and the story was compelling. It wasn't the best film ever but it was much better than some of the others this term. It wasn't clever bank robbery in the way that Hustle or Oceans or Lucky Break manage it but it was swift and well planned. Also, Pete Postlethwaite was the florist who they used to get their money into the system.
The Social Network
I really liked this film, it was dramatic and compelling and the characters were so well crafted and acted. It ended abruptly and I'm not sure I could watch it again soon. Overall it is worth watching, especially if you've ever had anything to do with Facebook.
Proof
This one was on iPlayer, it was Gwyneth Paltrow and Jake Gyllenhaal and it was pretty good. Few characters, a plot about maths and madness.
Mary and Max
An animation about pen-pals. An 8 year old girl and a 40something man, she Australian and he American. She inquisitive and chocolate loving, he Aspergers and chocolate loving. It told the story from their first letter until Mary was in her 20s. At times it was depressing and creepy and downright odd. I wouldn't recommend it but it wasn't the worst thing ever.
Buried
This is the first film we ever walked out of. I don't regret it at all.
We watched the first 30 minutes or so and then it broke, we waited thinking if they got it fixed soon then we might as well see how much worse it could get. After a 5 minute wait we decided that the start hadn't been good enough at all so we'd just look up the plot online.
Seriously, a guy buried in a box with a phone and a lighter and some pens. He's constantly burning the oxygen and he somehow has signal underground. He is rude to all the people on the phone who might help him. Apparently later on he finds a bag with a knife in it that somehow he hadn't seen before and a snake gets in. I wasn't remotely bothered about if he lived or died, (he dies) and it's all just dramatic rubbish. For the first 30 seconds the screen was entirely black while you heard heavy breathing. Worse than Goodbye Solo. So that makes it the worst film ever!
We might re-watch Inception tonight. Or just Hustle...
Anyway.
That's all folks.
Wednesday, 26 January 2011
Life and Times of Liz
So, I feel like I've been ever so busy since I wrote that random piece of fiction.
We've seen "Winter's Bone" "Exit Through The Gift Shop" "Despicable Me" and "The Illusionist" recently.
I've been painting my mini portraits and even though there are some errors I feel I'm getting much better.
I'm excited to pursue this project into an area that could even include digital representations such as a projection of the links between.
We shall see.
In my downtime I've been re-doing www.elizabethcreaghan.com which I'm so much happier with now.
I know it needs improving and personalising but with the Wordpress style of it I'm sure I'll be able to design a smashing layout when I get around to it.
I've also been reading The Lord of the Rings. I seem to still have a form of book narcolepsy and so I find myself barely able to get through a chapter without dosing off. Anyway, I'm enjoying it (thankfully) and I'm only about 50 pages from the end of the first one!
I'm going to log off this laptop of mine and do a drawing. It's going to be something experimental and different because I need to test things as that's one of the ways to move forward.
For Art updates you should check the Posts! area of my website.
Or right, I didn't review those films.
Winter's Bone was gritty and strange and a bit slow and at points I didn't really mind what happened to the characters. It was ok though if you want to put yourself through an experience.
Exit Through the Gift Shop was a Banksy documentary based around street art and the film collections of a pretty crazy man called Thierry. Well, I've read about it after and people seem to think it's a "hoax" cooked up by Banksy himself. Whatever it is I think it was quite fascinating as I've never known much about street art or even Banksy except for him being witty and clever and subversive and now I see his appeal. He's pretty much a genius and to become so well know without revealing his identity (unlike the freaking Stig) well that's just amazing. I recommend this film/documentary.
Despicable Me I thought was lovely, charming, strangely proportioned (but many animations are). It was quirky and cute and had enough laughs. You engaged with the characters and it was just a good film. I have to point out that James wasn't so won over by it though so maybe you mightn't like it. Oh well.
The Illusionist had so much promise but it just didn't live up to it. It was oh so beautifully animated and the music was fitting and wonderful and magical. The story was strange (as in a man buys a woman shoes and then she follows him to Edinburgh and they live in a hotel while she manipulates him into buying a new coat/dress etc for her and he fails to get much good work as an illusionist on stages. Gradually they don't fall in love and she meets someone else. With subplots of other failing entertainers and barely any speech that ranged from French to Gaelic.) it just wasn't that great. I nearly fell asleep because I just wasn't engaged by the characters.
So there you go. It's the Town at the end of the week and that looks a bit pants too. We'll see.
We've seen "Winter's Bone" "Exit Through The Gift Shop" "Despicable Me" and "The Illusionist" recently.
I've been painting my mini portraits and even though there are some errors I feel I'm getting much better.
I'm excited to pursue this project into an area that could even include digital representations such as a projection of the links between.
We shall see.
In my downtime I've been re-doing www.elizabethcreaghan.com which I'm so much happier with now.
I know it needs improving and personalising but with the Wordpress style of it I'm sure I'll be able to design a smashing layout when I get around to it.
I've also been reading The Lord of the Rings. I seem to still have a form of book narcolepsy and so I find myself barely able to get through a chapter without dosing off. Anyway, I'm enjoying it (thankfully) and I'm only about 50 pages from the end of the first one!
I'm going to log off this laptop of mine and do a drawing. It's going to be something experimental and different because I need to test things as that's one of the ways to move forward.
For Art updates you should check the Posts! area of my website.
Or right, I didn't review those films.
Winter's Bone was gritty and strange and a bit slow and at points I didn't really mind what happened to the characters. It was ok though if you want to put yourself through an experience.
Exit Through the Gift Shop was a Banksy documentary based around street art and the film collections of a pretty crazy man called Thierry. Well, I've read about it after and people seem to think it's a "hoax" cooked up by Banksy himself. Whatever it is I think it was quite fascinating as I've never known much about street art or even Banksy except for him being witty and clever and subversive and now I see his appeal. He's pretty much a genius and to become so well know without revealing his identity (unlike the freaking Stig) well that's just amazing. I recommend this film/documentary.
Despicable Me I thought was lovely, charming, strangely proportioned (but many animations are). It was quirky and cute and had enough laughs. You engaged with the characters and it was just a good film. I have to point out that James wasn't so won over by it though so maybe you mightn't like it. Oh well.
The Illusionist had so much promise but it just didn't live up to it. It was oh so beautifully animated and the music was fitting and wonderful and magical. The story was strange (as in a man buys a woman shoes and then she follows him to Edinburgh and they live in a hotel while she manipulates him into buying a new coat/dress etc for her and he fails to get much good work as an illusionist on stages. Gradually they don't fall in love and she meets someone else. With subplots of other failing entertainers and barely any speech that ranged from French to Gaelic.) it just wasn't that great. I nearly fell asleep because I just wasn't engaged by the characters.
So there you go. It's the Town at the end of the week and that looks a bit pants too. We'll see.
Wednesday, 19 January 2011
Write for at least 250 words about a breakdown, a promotion, and a house.
As I ventured across the unkempt pathway, tripping slightly on the loose gravel and snagging my thin tights on the twigs of bushes that had stopped flowering years ago, I spied the faded green paint of the door. Cracked with the heat of the decades of summers and left to peel, it brought memories of my childhood rushing back. Those days when Mum had brought me here to stay when I was sick and couldn’t go to school; my reluctant fingers would grip the worn doorknob when she tried to drag me home at the end of the day. It didn’t smell right though, I thought as I tucked the keys into my pocket. Gingerbread, blankets, hot chocolate. Not this musty, empty, smell. Bracing myself I entered the living room. It was too much though - salt water leaked and fingers formed fists. I edged to the window, drew back the curtains, trying to relax. Each ornament and photo, the depressed area of carpet where her favourite chair had sat, snagged at my mind. I sank to the floor, my back to the window and bawled.
The vibration of my mobile cut through my stupor and brought my attention to my bedraggled and frankly vulnerable state. I dabbed my eyes, reached into my bag and took the call.
“Where are you?” Vicky hissed, “You’re late and I need your help.”
Trying not to sob I replied, “I’m not really available right now, can this wait?”
“No.” She’d hung up.
“Where are you?” Vicky hissed, “You’re late and I need your help.”
Trying not to sob I replied, “I’m not really available right now, can this wait?”
“No.” She’d hung up.
Reluctantly, I pulled myself to me feet maintaining that I’d come back when I had more time. Coming before work was a bad idea anyway but I’d thought the quick visit would have put my mind at rest and not, as it happened, cause a minor breakdown.
Entering the office I was greeted by an eerie lack of people, no Vicky, and a note to head to one of the conference rooms. A promotion party, for me.
So, this is different for me. What do you think?
Sunday, 16 January 2011
He was my King Lear
James is writing so much at the moment and it makes me feel pretty rubbish that I don't blog much any more.
Pete Postlethwaite's tribute show is on iPlayer so I'm watching that while I tidy the last remnants of my unpacking up.
Well actually, I'm watching it while I blog for now (with the full intention to tidy in a bit).
I've watched a few films, but not many, since I last blogged and I'm looking forward for this new term and more Cinema!
The Nativity (with Martin Freeman) was so lovely! It was charming and funny and ever so clever.
Adam, a film Hazel got for Christmas, was totally wonderful, it was heart-wrenching and beautifully filmed.
I've played a lot of LEGO Harry Potter and drawn some sketches for The Stones of Arzingdale (James' hidden blog story).
I re-watched Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist and Labyrinth.
Now I've come back to Uni, made a video, drawn up some sweet timetables and am getting ready for a full 11 week term of KNUCKLING DOWN.
I hope to start some short creative writing projects soon. We shall see.
Pete Postlethwaite's tribute show is on iPlayer so I'm watching that while I tidy the last remnants of my unpacking up.
Well actually, I'm watching it while I blog for now (with the full intention to tidy in a bit).
I've watched a few films, but not many, since I last blogged and I'm looking forward for this new term and more Cinema!
The Nativity (with Martin Freeman) was so lovely! It was charming and funny and ever so clever.
Adam, a film Hazel got for Christmas, was totally wonderful, it was heart-wrenching and beautifully filmed.
I've played a lot of LEGO Harry Potter and drawn some sketches for The Stones of Arzingdale (James' hidden blog story).
I re-watched Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist and Labyrinth.
Now I've come back to Uni, made a video, drawn up some sweet timetables and am getting ready for a full 11 week term of KNUCKLING DOWN.
I hope to start some short creative writing projects soon. We shall see.
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