Happy Autumn!
September 25, 2009
Excuse the lack of updates, I’ve just had the week from hell. Work was busy because the other girl in my team was off so I had to keep things going. That wasn’t the problem though. The problem was I haven’t been able to sleep properly for about a week, not even when I’m exhausted. As soon as I lie down I’m wide awake again. And I had to work an extra five hours, which meant getting up a lot earlier and getting home a bit later. Ugh.
But the week’s over! And there are reasons to be happy… welcome to autumn! I know I’m a few days late, but still. I love it – even being cold in the morning. In fact, especially being cold in the morning. I’d rather wrap up against the cold than suffer through the heat, thank you. Plus I have a spiffy new red mac from New Look and it’s good to have the excuse to wear it. Yesterday morning I got into Glasgow at about 7.30am and the sky was absolutely beautiful. I meant to take a photo but I forgot my camera. Sigh.
And I’m currently listening to Friday Night is Music Night on Radio 2, hosted by Ken Bruce who is basically a legend. On the show are the Swing Cats, a jazz quartet from Glasgow who are absolutely amazing and exactly my kind of ladies. I’ve just discovered them tonight, so I’m a little excited. They just played two of my all-time favourite songs: “Oh Johnny” by the Andrews Sisters and “Everybody Wants to Be A Cat” from the Aristocats! No one can beat that in my view. Their website doesn’t seem to be working, which is annoying… I wanted to post a link. Boo. They have a page here on Freak Music anyway. Looking at the sample set list, I’d kill to go see them. That’s how good they are!
So, what’s been happening lately? I would like to tell you all to go and see Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs. Michaela (my Cineworld Unlimited card buddy!) and I have now seen it twice. Okay, I haven’t read the book – I didn’t even know it was based on a book. But I laughed through the whole thing, and comedy in animation these days doesn’t make me laugh out loud that much. So that was the first reason to fall in love with it. Second was the animation – very well done, I thought. People keep saying the fact that 3D films are more popular means that they put less thought into the film and more into what they can make stick out of the screen and poke you in the eye. Not in this film. There were one or two moments of intense 3D (sit in the front row and get seasick when the water comes out of the giant sardine bowl) but it didn’t feel like the film was an excuse to showcase their 3D tricks. It was more like 3D was the cherry on top… Plus, have these people seen the trailer for Pixar’s Up? I saw the trailer in 3D and I couldn’t help but think, at the close up of the old man’s face, how much detail they’re putting into the humans now that would have been near impossible years ago. (Up is out here on 9th October and I can’t freaking wait! Come on Pete Dockter!!). But yes, Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs is a must see. With the voice talent of Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, Bruce Campbell, MR T!, Neil Patrick Harris (Steve!) and the hilarious writing and directing of Phil Lord and Chris Miller you won’t be disappointed. “Come on – we’ve got some diem to carpe!” (and to Michaela – meet me in the forest!)
Oh and in more animation news – I almost died when the trailer for Toy Story 3D came on. Michaela had to tell me to actually breathe. That’s on next Friday at Cineworld, and should be interesting! I’ll be the geek in the front row salivating. See you there 
You’d better be singing the Floral Dance with me!
September 7, 2009
So as usual, I got on the bus around 7.45 and listened to Radio 2 on my phone. Anyone who knows me well will know I listen to Radio 2 near enough all the time – I love it, and everyone on it! So imagine my shock at 8.05AM when Sir Terry Wogan announced he would be “turning into Chris Evans”. At the end of the year, he will be standing down from his show “Wake Up To Wogan”. This thought left me feeling blue for the day, as I know it did with his 8 million other listeners. I listen to Wogan every day, even if I’m on holiday, and he never fails to make me laugh. The chat with the underlings, the messages from Togs and of course the famous ‘Janet and John’ stories which make me have to cover my face on the bus so people don’t see my giggling and think I’m a lunatic. Sir Terry has been a radio broadcaster since 1972, with a gap when he left to do his TV talk show. No one could ever take his place, and he will be sorely missed.
Don’t get me wrong, though – I adore Chris Evans too! Chris and the drivetime team cheer me up after each day at work the same way Wogan and his lot cheer me up before work.
Plus, Wogan isn’t leaving Radio 2 for good! He still has Proms in the Park ‘09 to host and he will be doing a weekend show, in front of a live audience. Plus he’s currently recording songs for Bandaged 2 for Children in Need, inluding another Christmas song with Aled Jones. ‘Little Drummer Boy’ was brilliant, I’m betting this one will do just as well.
I may technically be young, but I’m a Tog at heart! I will keep up the tradition of yelling “EAT SOMETHING!” at Girls Aloud, correcting people who say “I was sat…” (you were SITTING!) and will have to go have a lie down in a darkened room when I hear Ella Fitzgerald. Oh – and I will tell people I can eat whatever I want first thing in the morning! (A tradition I’m sure Chris and the gang will keep up – or at least, Chris and Johnny will! Will they still get Nige in to cook on a Thursday, I wonder?)
So, as much as I wish he’d stay, I think he’s doing the right thing. Quit while you’re ahead. He’s leaving on his own terms, at the height of his popularity. A wise move, really. And congratulations and good luck to Chris Evans – I know he’ll be great, even if the Togmeister is a tough act to follow!