Results tagged “books”

• We've managed to finish all five seasons of The Office thanks to Netflix streaming. They don't have season six available yet but we'll be all over it as soon as they do. I love that show. Granted the later seasons aren't quite as funny as the earlier ones but it's still well worth the watch.

• Once The Office was completed, we had a "well now what shall we stream?" moment, so we started 30 Rock. And then stopped. Couldn't really get into it and to be honest I really didn't think it was all that funny. Does it get better, should we have stuck with it for longer?

• I've gotten so spoiled by the iPhone's auto-spell-corrector that I've started to miss it in other apps. Sure Firefox flags words I've spelled incorrectly but I wish it would just fix them. I'm wondering how I could get any lazier.

• Last month I started Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon and found it hard work in the beginning. I put a little dent in it this week and I'm glad I stuck with it as it's getting really rather good. You have to pay attention though and it's not a book you can read if you're in any way tired.

• Musically I've had a trip down early 90's shoegaze nostalgia lane this week. I've been playing Happy Mondays, The Stone Roses, Inspiral Carpets, The Wedding Present, and Slowdive. All of which takes me back to my sixth form days.

• I noticed a lot of people on their bikes this morning. People who bike to work in Phoenix in the summer are either extremely dedicated or completely mad. For the sake of their co-workers, I really hope their offices have showers.

• Amazon's iPhone app is extremely well designed and easy to use. It even made me grin when I viewed my empty cart.

Did you catch that? My cart lives to serve me. I tried to get it to make me a cup of coffee but there appears to be a bug.

• I finally finished Dan Brown's, er, masterpiece last night. The story was entertaining. I'm going to leave it at that. Now I'm reading Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon. Compared with Mr Brown's tome, this is a little more brain taxing. And tiny font alert! They really need to try and fit more words on a page. Good lord I'm going to need a magnifying glass.

• I used craigslist for the first time last night. My immediate thought was "ahh, my eyes" as the page partied like it was 1997. Not exactly pleasant to look at and not immediately intuitive to use. Or maybe I'm too stupid to figure it out?

• Netflix streaming was down last night. The horror of it. The site itself was slow, then it worked, then it was slow, then it was down. A quick check of twitter showed hundreds of "is netflix down?" and "no netflix wtf ttfn bbq?" type posts so I knew it wasn't just me. Got to love twitter for the real time info.

A few months back I mentioned that I wasn't reading anymore and wondered why.

I think the main culprit is probably that ole favorite, not enough time. But that's a shame as I know I like reading, used to like reading anyway. So what to do? Well, I guess I make time for it. Just pick up a book and start. Tonight. I'll try that tonight.

Yeah, that worked out well. But you know what, last week I did finally pick up a book and I'm actually reading once more. So, better late than never right?

So what author did I choose, what epic tome did I pick to start my reading adventure anew? That's right, I chose a book from that bastion of American literature, Dan Brown. The Lost Symbol.

Here's the thing, and I'm going to let you in on a bit of a secret so gather round kids. Dan Brown is not the best writer on the planet. Dan Brown is, as they say, a bit crap. His chapter ending cliff hangers make me want to gouge my eyes out with a spork.

"...and then it hit him like a tonne of bricks."

"...no, surely this couldn't be that one thing could it?"

"...it was clear that Robert Langdon had to go pee.

And yet, I'm still reading his bloody book. He's still managed to keep me engrossed in the story. I'm still turning the pages. And therein lies the crux of this little head scratcher. If he's so bad, why am I still immersed in his story? Why do I not just try another book?

Maybe the problem isn't Dan Brown. Maybe the problem is me. Maybe I just love a bit of bad writing now and then. I mean, we all have our guilty pleasures right? We all watch that TV show we're too embarrassed to admit. We all have that song on our iPod.

This is just the dead tree version of that. Which is something I think I've just talked myself into being ok with.

Nilsa's books post this morning got me thinking. I'm really not entirely sure when I decided I didn't like reading anymore. I don't think it was ever a conscious decision, but I can think of no other explanation for why I just don't read books. At all. Ever.

It's not for lack of anything to read either for I have no end of books that I just need to get to at some point. Got a whole bunch of them for Christmas and do you think I've even looked at any of them? Of course not.

One of them I'd been looking forward to reading to for ages. See? It's still sitting in the the exact same place it was when I took this pic.

I think the main culprit is probably that ole favorite, not enough time. But that's a shame as I know I like reading, used to like reading anyway. So what to do? Well, I guess I make time for it. Just pick up a book and start. Tonight. I'll try that tonight.

Could happen.

Watch

I think I was one of the few people left on the plant who hadn't seen District 9 yet. And if you're also one of those few, I heartily recommend that you watch it forthwith. One of the best films I've seen in a long time and so well done. Innovative and gripping. One thing is for sure, I'll be on the lookout for anything with Neil Bloomkamp's name on it after this impressive debut.

Listen

You remember the death of my favorite gadget back in September. Since then I've tried to live an iPod-less existence. Which actually meant lugging my laptop around just so I could listen to music. Including some rather dodgy set the laptop on the front seat of the car and connect it to the car stereo shenanigans. (shudder).

Rejoice, for the circle of gadgets is now complete. I have a new trusty iPod. And it goes with me everywhere.

Read

I'm currently juggling two books. You know, as you do.

First up, Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol. Some people love to lambaste Brown's writing style. And sure, he's not going to win any awards, but his books keep me entertained. And that's why I read books in the first place.

I'm also laughing and edumacating myself on the finer points of beer by reading The Naked Pint. A thoroughly entertaining read.

Smile

I love getting blast from the past photos. This one is a rather younger me posing (top row, third from the left) for the Cambridgeshire county Rubgy team many many moons ago. Nice facial expression Spencer.

[Moozik: Meg Lee Chin - Heavy Scene]

• Good lord Battlestar Galactica writers, you're really in no hurry to get where you're going are you? Wait. You are going somewhere right? The end is almost nigh, and you've got that whole loose-ends thing still dangling there.

• It really is the future. For I've now seen actual real life vending machines, once those last bastions of cash obligation, that accept debit cards. Rejoice.

• A friend lent me a book a couple of years ago. And now they've gone and made a movie out of it. Good by all accounts. So I'm thinking I should probably read it now.

[Moozik: Killing Joke - Love Like Blood]

Back in October, the Rainforest Foundation were kind enough to ask me if they could use my Empire State Building photo. I said yes and as a result they asked me if I liked goodies and to expect a little thank you in the mail.

I was more than a little surprised when I received the delivery. I wasn't expecting anything like that. Also included (but not in the photo) were a t-shirt and a bracelet from the Amazon.

So thank you Rainforest Foundation, you rock.