Nearly Feb?

Don't know about you but January seems to be shooting past. I found the first couple of weeks a little bit 'meh'. I'd had a good Christmas and, probably like many in January, I found the first week or two a bit difficult to get back in to the routine of things - week beginning 9th seemed to go on forever and not in a good way. Much grumpiness (even for me!) and perhaps it's a another sign of middle age - I now partially aspire to 'get back in to the routine of things'!

Thankfully the last week or so hasn't been too routine. I've been able to catch up with a few people - gentle baby steps towards one of my goals of getting a balance back and making more and better time for friends.

Interesting for me, deep down I know how I'd like 2012 to pan out - something I've never thought about or admitted before, in this or previous years. Whether all or any of it happens, who knows? But so far some early, encouraging signs that 2012 may just turn out OK - interesting what a few days can make.

Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol

It starts with breaking out of a Russian prison and ends with friends having a drink, and getting new iPhones, on the western US seaboard. In between you have the Kremlin exploding, some high tension action up a Middle East skyscraper, a car chase in a sandstorm, and a fight in a hi-tech Indian parking garage. Frankly you know what you're going to get with Mission Impossible:Ghost Protocol and it passes the Ronseal test - it does exactly what it says on the tin.

If you're looking for subtlety and insightful commentary on the geopolitical situation then you wouldn't have shelled out your money to see this. However, if you want a film with well crafted action set pieces, good stunts, and a decent cast who can inject the occasional bit of humour in to the situation then you've come to the right film.

In my opinion the sandstorm car chase got a bit silly, but the skyscraper action is excellent. Tom Cruise delivers what's needed in the role, and Simon Pegg, who along with Edgar Wright was behind the excellent series Spaced which is still worth watching, provides good comedy value.

Not earth shattering - but a decent, enjoyable, popcorn flick.

Disjointed, slow or in need of polish?

So how is your 2012 going so far?

I always find the first weeks in January a bit strange, a bit disjointed. This year has been no exception. After the fullness of the Christmas period, which was very enjoyable though also a little tiring, at the start of the year I looked in my diary and found not a single social thing in it for January. Nowt, nada, nothing. Now I wanted to slow down a bit in 2012 but this was taking it to extremes!

One of the things I want to do in 2012 is get some balance back. Not go to quite the extremes of the slow movement or slow living but to enjoy the simple pleasures - I'm aiming to use the #simplepleasures hashtag quite a lot on twitter. Thankfully my social diary has improved (!) and this last weekend has been a lovely blend of doing some things, catching up with people, and having some downtime. Simple pleasures.

How the rest of the year develops will be partly up to me - I had a wry smile reading yesterday's Independent which had some interesting articles on how to be happy & everyday contentment. One reason I like the image (which comes via a friend posting it on Facebook) is it's a good reminder that if things don't quite go as I'd like in 2012 I may need to do a little polishing.

Sherlock v Sherlock

So who do you prefer Robert Downey Jr or Benedict Cumberbatch? Jude Law or Martin Freeman? Stephen Fry or Mark Gatiss? It's interesting that the two 'reboots' of Sherlock have taken very different approaches. The Guy Ritchie approach is a cross between an action film and a pantomime, with Downey Jr playing it for laughs in between the set piece action scenes. There is plenty of pow but little sleuthing. The Steven Moffat/Mark Gatiss approach is to set it in the present and have a more traditional 'whodunit', although updated with things like Dr Watson publishing a blog.

Personally I found the movie OK but too long. I couldn't really tell you what the plot was - the only things that stick in the memory are Sherlock being camouflaged as a couch and it had the actress from the original Girl With a Dragon Tattoo series. Very little whodunit and a rather needless nude scene from Stephen Fry meant it was all fairly amusing but it's relationship to the original Sherlock Holmes character was tangential.

The Moffat/Gatiss reboot is excellent. The two leads are superb together and having Una Stubbs as Mrs Hudson is wonderful casting. Admittedly for me Moffat can do little wrong as he was one of the people behind Press Gang which was one of the best, if not the best, Children's TV dramas of all time (mind you, with the last series of Doctor Who he is testing my patience). It respects the sleuthing heritage of Sherlock, which has to be its key draw, and it leaves you wanting the next episode.

So for me it has to be Cumberbatch, Freeman and Gatiss.

2012 - Looking Forward

So how's 2012 going so far? Have to admit that for brief moment this morning I already felt it wasn't going well - thankfully the day improved!

I don't tend to do resolutions but here are a few thoughts looking forward to 2012.

• The Olympics - personally I'm really looking forward to them. Yes the city may grind to a halt, I haven't got as many tickets as I'd like, and there is the looming worry about just how naff the opening and closing ceremonies may be. But it's a once in a lifetime experience, some of which will be right on my doorstep, and I'm hoping to make the most of it.
• A cycle trip - all being well a group of us, having got the fever doing the C2C cycle route last year, will be tackling the Way of the Roses route. Slightly longer than the C2C, but not as hilly(!), it should be a fun trip. A real potential highlight.
• Work/life balance - this really needs improving in 2012. From the simple things like making more time for friends and family, and doing more cooking (apparently 'pierce film lid several times' is not proper cooking!), to just feeling more comfortable relaxing I'm hoping to get things better. I'll be giving up something I've spent a fair amount of time doing over the years and hopefully I'll be able to use the time in a different way. We will see...

Overall I sense that 2012 will be different, I sense that something major may change. I've no idea what, but I've a 'feeling in me water' (though that could just be middle age.!.) that something will change.

Whatever your thoughts or hopes are for the coming year, I hope that 2012 becomes all that you wish it to be.

2011 - Looking Back

It's fair to say that blogging has been light during 2011!

I don't know how you feel about New Year. Personally I find it a tricky time of year for various reasons but, as the year ends, a few very brief reflections.

Three good things;

• There have been some great breaks and trips during 2011.The undoubted highlight was cycling the C2C route with a great bunch of people - some photos can be found here. One of the best things I've ever done. Other enjoyable trips were the World Cup Cycling in Manchester and a quick skiing trip, both in Feb, and a beach holiday (a completely new experience!) in late Sept.
• Time with friends - old and new - and family. Really appreciated some quality time with people in 2011 which made realise how fortunate I am.
• Turning 40 - not nearly as bad as it sounds and felt surprisingly comfortable with it!

Three not so good things;

• work/life balance still wasn't right. It's not that work was awful, but some of things I do in my spare time were too much like work and took too much time. I need more 'life'!
• Not enough time writing. This was most evident in the almost complete lack of blogging in 2011 - something I enjoy but which fell completely off the radar - but not just that. This is perhaps a somewhat poncey regret, but I like words and didn't spend enough time on them in 2011.
• Not nearly enough time with friends and family. These things need time and I didn't make enough of it for them during the year.

Overall 2011 felt a strange year - a bit 'meh', a bit of year that felt one of transition, but transition to where wasn't exactly clear! Not a bad year - though it had its moments(!) - but not vintage.

Who knows what 2012 will bring, but tomorrow a few forward looking thoughts.

Have a very happy new year.

Back to Blogging?

Hope so.

Don't quite know how we are halfway through the year and at the longest day already, but here we are. So far 2011 has been a bit strange and busy. Various things have come up - both work and play - which have meant the blogging has had to take a back seat. I know I've said it a couple of times in recent months, but hopefully I'll now be back to the blog on a regular basis.

So once again the usual mix of inanities, film/TV/book reviews, and general 'stuff' will, perhaps intermittently, appear on this blog again.

You have been warned...

TT 3D - Closer to the Edge

Closer to the Edge is a documentary telling the story of some of the riders in the 2010 Isle of Man TT - the annual motorcycle race around public roads on the island. The main rider the film follows is Guy Martin, a wonderful, laid back and very deadpan funny character, who if had been written in a sitcom would have dismissed as unbelievable. He also sports the best sideburns seen in a film for at least thirty years.

The one thing the TT is known for is its danger - every year there are one or two deaths and 2010 was no different. This film captures the raw energy and beauty of man and motorbike against the clock and the island roads. It is breathtaking, powerful and poignant; beautifully shot with good, and not gratuitous, use of 3D.

You don't need to be a petrol head or a biker to enjoy this - I'm neither and thoroughly enjoyed the film. It doesn't flinch from the danger and handles the inevitable sad moments very well. Guy Martin is comedy gold, and the ending is something that takes you by surprise. It's got a limited release but see it you can - in 2D or 3D - highly recommend.

Blogging will be back

Apologies that the blogging hiatus has been longer than expected - it will be back shortly.

Devonshire goodness

After a few days back in Birmingham, and via London and the Big Game 3 at Twickenham, have headed to Devon for a few days.

So currently in north Devon - walked through the empty Pannier Market in Barnstaple yesterday. Never seen it completely empty before and it had a lovely eerie architectural beauty about it...

Pannier Market - Barnstaple

Over at Woolacombe today there were a few heart souls enjoying the excellent surf - not really for me but was a stunning sky in the late afternoon light.

Surfer at Woolacombe

A bracing Christmas Day stroll

Head to Stratford Upon Avon for a morning stroll in the snow by the river - a good start to the day.

By the river

The Parish Church

River and the RSC

The quiet main street

Fancy a seat?

RSC theatre

Crisp and clear

Shakespeare's birthplace

Straight from a Richard Curtis movie?

Christmas Eve and head to the Bournville Village Green carol service. Bournville is the 'village' created by the Cadbury Brothers and the chocolate factory still looms large in the area. There is a village green and across the road is the local primary school - where I went in my earlier days - which for some unexplained reason has full carillon of bells. Each Christmas Eve the local churches have a carol service on the Green with the bells providing the music. 

It's a slightly strange south Birmingham institution. Never advertised it is well attended, and there is always the hilarity of just how out of time the singing can be with the bells due to the laws of physics and the speed of sound. Sometimes in a single carol the singing can be both behind and ahead of the music...

With the village green, the tree, and the community signing in the snow it can appear to be something straight out of a Richard Curtis movie...

Website of the week

For Christmas Eve it's vital that you track where Santa is - use the excellent NORAD Santa Tracker to make sure your delivery turns up...

What a photo??

On a couple of Christmas Day mornings I've made the most of the peace and quiet and taken photos in locations that have been a lot quieter than normal.

In 2009 it was Birmingham city centre and back in 2006 it was in the centre of London.

Wondering whether I'll venture out and do something similar this year - I'll be based in Birmingham so need think about any possible suitable locations.

Website of the week

A different and digital update of the nativity story.

So this is Christmas

 

Started the Christmas shopping today and in a moment of weakness I purchased a small Christmas tree. Also bought some lights that seem a lot more complicated than they need to be. The lights come with eight settings;

• continuation
• in waves
• sequential
• slo glo
• chasing/flash
• slow fade
• twinkle/flash
• steady on

Have to say that all seems a bit excessive - what's wrong with a simple on/off?

My so called life...

Been a bit of a strange week...

• spoke at my local church on Sunday and the subject was Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. I included a couple of comments about whether blokes have a biological clock and if so does it just tick a little quieter than it does for women? Got a lot of comments and feedback on this - most reaction I've ever had on anything I've ever said.
• was coughing and spluttering on Monday and Tuesday - seemed to be my turn on the office rota
• Thursday evening was spent at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith. Very pleasant evening that got a little strange as Question Time was being recorded there that evening (not the reason I was there) and Dimbleby and the panel emerged into a cordoned off part of the bar for a post show meal - didn't recognise any of them...
• pleasant Friday afternoon in Pizza Express for office Christmas meal. However, I do seem to spend a lot of time in Pizza Expresses - perhaps should move in...

Website of the week

It doesn't matter if you are film fan or not, the best podcast out there is Mayo and Kermode Film Reviews from Radio 5 live- it's the ultimate in 'wittertainment'. Knowledgeable, great as a two presenters who clearly work well with each other, and excellent use of interacting with their audience, I can't recommend it enough.

Their podcast is available here, their website is found here and Mark Kermode's blog can be seen here.

Currently they are championing the 'Wittertainment Code of Conduct' about how to behave in a cinema - something to be applauded. The poster is the image above and below is the code in moving pictures - enjoy.

Highly recommended - and, of course, Hello to Jason Isaacs.

Football's delayed homecoming

Well if I were a betting man my predictions about the Word Cup, Russia, Qatar and England not surviving the first round would have made me a decent penny.

The real scandal is not so much Russia getting the 2018 finals. Russia has a long football history, hasn't had the World Cup and is a major nation - no reason it shouldn't have won. There will be issues - the time zones, the need to build stadia, the lack of a free press and how it deals with racism in football are all genuine concerns - but hopefully the World Cup will act as a catalyst in these areas.

The real scandal is Qatar getting the final in 2022. It has no football history, is the size of Yorkshire, doesn't have a free press and has very 'interesting' attitudes towards gay rights, women and alcohol, never mind the heat. The scandal is that Australia, a nation that has put on numerous sporting events and successful Olympic games, got one vote. Qatar scored lowest on the technical aspects, but won. England, which scored highest on its technical bid, got two votes and fell at the first step.

The acting FA chairman, Roger Burden, has withdrawn his application for the permanent post as he'd have to deal with people he didn't trust. I understand his sentiment but don't think that's the answer. Be bold - campaign for open voting, not secret ballots, publish minutes or transcripts of all meetings you have with FIFA officials whether they like it or not - shine the spotlight don't retreat.

It's only through transparency that reform will happen. It won't be easy - but this may be FIFA's 'Salt Lake City' moment. There could be momentum here with the USA, Japan and Australia equally annoyed. Campaign vigorously for reform and do it from within FIFA - people are waking up to just how bad FIFA is - now is the time.

Football coming home?

Have to say I was disappointed with Panorama on FIFA on Monday night - if nothing else a programme that enables David Mellor to take the moral high ground will always leave a bitter aftertaste. However, what really disappointed is that showing FIFA is less than transparent and might have some dodgy members is a bit like shooting fish in a barrel. What for the next two programmes - hard hitting investigations in to the Pope's religious views and what bears might get up to in the woods??

Some of the allegations were new but hardly surprising - indeed Andrew Jennings has been investigating FIFA and other sporting bodies for many years and runs the excellent Transparency in Sport website. How will this impact the England bid? Well I'm tempted to say 'who cares'? But I suspect the impact will be limited - I doubt England were ever going to get the 2018 Finals. For what it's worth here's how I think the FIFA meeting will pan out...

2018 - the best bid is England. It's probably the only bidder who could hold the finals tomorrow, it has a football culture, excellent grounds, sound finances and innovative TV companies who could provide the pictures. They won't win. The Spain/Portugal bid will get several votes early on but both have had a finals - World Cup or Euros - fairly recently and giving them the finals with their current economies is risky. I think Russia will win - they haven't had the finals and are a 'new market', have serious money and a 'friendly' media. The outside bet would be Holland/Belgium - if they survive the first round (and I think either they or England will go out in round one) they might emerge as a compromise winner. If Putin turns up I think Russia will walk it.

2022 - should go to Australia. Football may not be the most popular sport in Aus, but they are sports mad and know how to put on big sporting occasions. They are also a 'new market' but the main thing against them is the time zone and what time the games would be in the important European and African TV markets. Japan and South Korea have recently (jointly) held the finals so I think either USA or Qatar will win. The USA if FIFA are seduced by the $ and trying to get 'soccer' to finally break America; Qatar will win if seduced by the money, the sun and a completely new market. I reckon Qatar might, surprisingly, sneak it.

All will be clear later on Thursday...