Viva…Viva…Oh You Know The Rest
Well, with little fanfare, because everything ended up being so last minute before I left, I'm away. In sunny Las Vegas, though sunny barely begins to describe it. It's *unbearably* hot. Air conditioning is my new best friend - I mean, we've always been close, but now we're inseparable.
For the second time in about a month I'm in a hotel room without a broadband connection, and once again, I feel like I've had a limb removed.
Anyway - staying here, which is an entirely bonkers experience - to get from reception to the lifts you have to go through the casino, where somewhat disturbingly, there are people to be seen playing the slot machines and at the tables at 6am. Every one of these casino hotels is like a small town by itself, with restaurants and shopping arcades, beauty salons and pools. This one, just to be different, has a volcano in the front garden.
I'm here for a wedding. Not mine of course, but my brother's. Elvis will be in attendance I'm pleased to say - well, it just wouldn't be the same without him.
Beam Him Up
I know I won't be the only one to have made that crack, but it's too obvious and apposite when the news is that James Doohan has died.
The Sound Of Silence
Been quiet this week basically because I'm going to be pretty quiet for the next two weeks. "That doesn't make sense" I hear you say.
Well it does when you know that I'm about to go away for two weeks, and have been up to my eyes trying to get everything done that needs doing before I go away.
I'm definitely planning on blogging some stuff while on the trip, but at this stage it's clearly going to be even more sporadic than usual.
Just thought I'd mention it.
Achey
Forgot to mention, I've finally joined a gym. It's far too late to make a real impact on the 'getting fit' component of The Manifesto in time of course, but I'll allow myself that one as long as I manage to maintain something approaching a regular regimen.
The trainer has started me off on purely cardio work, which seems sensible, as it's my general fitness that needs attention before I start getting into trying to tone of build up, and usefully, most of the hotels I stay inn on work trips have gyms, so I should have absolutely no excuse for not getting into this properly.
But coming from as out of shape as I am, it's not without the occasional post-workout ache...
Sir Edward Heath, RIP
Sad to hear about Ted Heath's death. He was so well-established a part of the political landscape that even after retiring there was somehow a sense that he would just always be there.
I always found it easier to respect him than any of his Conservative Party Leader successors (especially the first, obviously). That's probably because he was the last one to emulate the values of good old MacMillanite patriarchal toryism, which while being patriarchal was always at least honest about it, so you always knew where you stood with him.
Gay Paree
Well, we went, we saw, we did tourist things, we got our free Harry Potter books, and then we came back.
Slightly less than 24 hours all told, and one of those things that was worth doing simply because we could, and because it was mad.
I've made inroads into the book, but I'm no more than a third of the way in - it's been far too warm to settle down to anything this weekend.
I was originally going to save the book for next weekend when I have the joy of a ten hour flight to look forward to, but I'm not wholly convinced that a hefty hardback is something that I want to be lugging around in my hand baggage for two weeks....
Haven’t Googlebombed Anyone in An Age
So here we go:
Is Omarion A Wanker? The answer would appear to be yes.
From Badly Dubbed Boy via Gert.
Join in the fun!
Speaking Of Harry Potter….
.... I see The Pope, confirming his fitness to follow his predecessor's example in the 'mad old bastard' stakes, condemned the Harry Potter books back when he was a Cardinal.
Apparently, the books are "subtle seductions which act unnoticed and by this deeply distort Christianity in the soul before it can grow properly".
In other words, they're a bad influence on young people and can cause them to turn out as bad adults.
Sounds a bit like the Hitler Youth, Your Holiness.
How Mad Is This?
(The answer to that question is 'very', by the way.)
We're off to Paris this evening: Me, David, Dave and Octavia on Eurostar to stay in a five star hotel and, just to complete the bonkersness of the whole thing, to get free copies of the new Harry Potter book on launch at midnight.
Oh, and did I mention that none of it is costing us a penny?
How and why?
Because Clever Octavia(tm) won a competition and was kind enough to invite us along.
Told you it was mad.
Did I Mention War Of The Worlds?
Don't think I did.
We went to see it opening weekend and generally speaking thought that it rocked. Set aside the near inevitability of a Steven Spielberg ending and focus instead on the fact that he stayed true to HG Wells' story, despite what must have been a studio temptation to give it an 'active' ending.
Focus on the stunning effects, and attention to directorial detail (while nevertheless guffawing at some of the more nonsensical details).
Focus on the fact that even when she's not being creepy (see Hide and Seek and others) Dakota Fanning is one creepy child, but in this instance it came across as wide-eyed horror and confusion.
Focus on the fact that Tom Cruise gives a great performance, being a convincing 'ordinary guy under extraordinary pressure', rather than a thinly disguised superhero.
As blockbusters go, I'd rate it among the very best.