Moving…
Hannah and me have found a place to live. It’s scary, but on the plus side I’ll be within bitch-slapping range of Dom and I also get to play computer games as part of my new job.
Obviously I’m very busy with things now, so this post is a bit sparse. You don’t like it? Tough.
On a side note, my brother Sam showed me these videos. I now share them with you.
Flight of The Conchords Songs (Folk Comedy Duo):
Joe.
Ch-ch-changes…
Ooh-by-eck, as they say up here in Derbyshire. The last week has been one I’ll never forget, where my future has been in constant flux and my heart has exploded at least twice every minute. For those not following the day to day trivialities of my continued existence (shame on you!) I’ll elaborate. A little while ago I was busy with interviews, one at Bit-tech left me with a chance to improve on a previously limp writing excercise and another saw me do some sub-editing for Builder And Engineer Magazine in Manchester.
Then Builder And Engineer ring me back and offer me the job, starting at £13k. I accepted and Hannah and I begin the scary process of moving to Manchester. It wasn’t going to be too bad, we know a lot of people there and its a nice place. Hannah had her heart set on it.
The day we go to look at flats: it all goes tits up. Tim Smalley at Bit-Tech rings me. They want me too. I am obviously a journalistic genius, though one in an awkward spot. Hannah and I have a long, emotional talk. Parents get involved – something my parents do on an hourly basis anyway. Should I accept the position at Bit-tech, which pays higher and is more suited to my passions but which is also half-way across the country in an unfamiliar and expensive place? Common sense says yes, fear and devotion to my loved one says no.
Well, the choice is quickly and painfully made and the leap into the unknown now looms before like something presented within an ominous metaphor. I can’t think of metaphors myself, my linguistic bone is currently sprained through stress.
So, now we prepare for Ascot; land of promise and free computer games. Sorry to all those who were awaiting me in Manchester, it’s my fault. Thank you to Hannah though, for standing by me.
Now, I have a chance to quickly return to what I was doing at the time when Tim Smalley actually rang me: Trying to complete Overworld Zero, the ultima-like minigame on the gameboy in System Shock 2 and marvelling at how completeing System Shock 2 again has become a bit of an incidental adventure, achieved only when I take breaks from Overworld Zero.
Joe.
Are you on the list…
Click the pic to see the detail. Needless to say I was bored, thus allowing me to take the test and the time to post it. I’m not sure which hero I would have preffered – Nathans powers, Hiros/DLs personality perhaps would probably be ideal. I was worried I’d get labelled as the cheerleader, Claire, for some reason. Still, I guess Bennet has the best job and is still pretty cool, perhaps my favourite character after Hiro Nakamura and Parkman the telepathic cop. From the very first episode I said he was badass and that he was going to be a misunderstood dude. Shame he doesn’t have a superpower though.If you are one of the people who doesn’t watch Heroes for some reason, then be sure to write a comment in and leave your name and details. I’ll be sure to add you to the list of people whom I have nothing but contempt for.
Joe.
Who Watches The Watchmen…
They’re making a Watchmen film. Huh. I can’t decide how I feel about that.
I admit that I’m rather late onto the Watchmen bandwagon, but its not my fault really. It was something I always wanted to read but didn’t get around to until Hannah got me the book for my birthday (thank you!), so I can happily distnguish myself from the people who were pulled in by the good-not-great V for Vendetta film. For those not in the know, Watchmen is a Alan Moore comic book set just before the cold war. It is set just as costumed heroes (vigilantes for justice, notably lacking in superpowers) are going out of fashion and have been made illegal. The only heroes left either work for the Government or are hunted by the police.
The only person who fits in the latter catergory is my favourite character and moral absoloutist Rorscarch, whose mask is constantly changing. Rorscarch delves deep into a conspiracy to kill off ex-costumed heroes to a background of a world in constant fear of nuclear war – something only prevented by the existence of the only superpowered man, Dr Manhattan. Manhattan is the property of the USA and his god-like powers are detterent enough to prevent mutually assured destruction. What I like so much about the story is that the heroes are only human and the comic deeply explores each one and their lives, asking why they become costumed heroes, why they are needed and what their choices betray about them. Is a hero guilty of rape still a hero? Watchmen swims deeply in these issues, dealing with a number of heroes such as Nite Owl, who is sexually aroused by the use of costumes, and The Comedian, an ex-soldier guilty of murder. Ironically the only man with any actual superpowers, Dr Manhattan, is so elevated above humanity by his abilities that he doesn’t care for them at all, viewing them as ants trapped to a tragic timeline.
The film has been in development hell for a while now, and the writer has sworn away any involvement with it based on past betrayls by producers. Its also long been established that few people believe it would easily translate to a film, like Frank Herberts Dune it may be fantastic in one medium yet drivel in another. Especially when the attached director is Zack Snyder, who made Dawn of The Dead. I liked that film, but I’m unsure if that promises anything in regards to this film. Besides, better than directors have fluffed up the chance to make this film. Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for A Dream), Terry Gilliam (From Monty Python, who made Twelve Monkeys) and Edgar Wright (Shaun of The Dead)
At the moment I just hope that Tom Cruise, who has expressed interest, doesn’t get anywhere near this film. He’d kill it and, as a result, I may have to kill him. Painfully. That said, Jude Law is also interested in starring, though personally my choice of leads would be Ethan Hawke for Rorscharch. I’ve also heard that Simon Pegg et al are interested in being involved.
For know, we’ll just have to wait. And watch.
Oh, the first picture is of how Rorscharch appears in the comic (though obviously he isn’t purple all the time), the latter one is his costume test from the film.
Out, Joe.
Catch up…
No posts in a while, though it’s only really because I’ve not been able to get the wordpress dashboard up like normal recently.
First off, how did the interview go? Well, it went pretty well, I think. The offices that Bit-Tech use are pretty iddylic – converted country house type thing in a clump of woodland in Ascot, filled with circuit boards and games – and everyone there seemed really nice. Especially Andy Vandervell, whom I finally got round to meeting. In retrospect, there were a lot of things I said that I shouldn’t have, but I hope I did ok. I was so goddamn nervous it was unbelievable. Hopefully they’ll let me know how I did once they read my second work sample.
There is other stuff to tell, but I’m also nursing a bit of a hangover right now. Hannah, Jenny, Katy and I went out to the Old Poets Last night for the Folk Music and Beer Festival. On top of my minor headaches, I’m aching to play some more Call of Duty 3 on the Wii – its actually pretty good once you get used to the controls and I really like it. I’ve also re-addicted myself to Baldur’s Gate II as a means to tackle my geekish need for in depth character creation.
I imagine that if you clicked any of those links above that goto Hannahs or Katys pages then your reeling in shock from the quantity of fluffy kittens. Don’t worry – this should cure your kitten-itis. Yes, it is a real dog, a very old Chinese Crested apparently.
That is all, Joe.
I didn’t say this before now…
I have an interview tomorrow with Bit-tech.net. The amount of want I have for this job is truly indescribable and unquantifiable by your pathetic mortal terms and it would be fair to say that I would do anything to get it at this point, partly because its a good looking job at a good looking company and partly because I really have to get out of Derbyshire before my membranes go truly insane.
So, wish me luck.
Also, thanks to Hannah I’ve finally got around to reading Alan Moores The Watchmen and its awesomeness is defeated only by my own.
Joe.
What I do with my time…
This is the situation I find myself subject to on a daily basis now:
This is the reply that I muster in response to this ritual:
This is how I spend my days at the moment. Sigh.
If you wanted to partake in all this joyous skullduggery (I don’t know if that word is relevant, I just like it at the moment), then you should probably start by facebook-ing me.
