Short breaks and short lives

It’s been another rough week. Both Ka and myself have felt down, depressed and rather grumpy, our thoughts dwelling on our recent loss again, our moods spiralling up and down, like an demented rollercoaster.
Ka is now back at work, full time, and finding it all quite difficult to get back into the routine of things. Ka is strong though, not to mention stubborn and determined. Her boss is being excellent in offering her as much help and support as she needs but Ka is stubbornly getting on with things. As horrible as it is to say, life must go on, something both Ka and myself understand and have to get on with, whilst at the same time, never forgetting.
Arriving home on Friday night cheered us up a little though as waiting for us, on the hall carpet, were our holiday tickets. We booked a week away in May online, last week, with the idea of a beach holiday. A short break. An effort to cheer ourselves up, to some extent. We had not been a quiet beach holiday since back in 2007 when we went to Turkey. Even our honeymoon in 2009 seemed hectic at times, as we toured Rome and Venice. So we wanted a definite break. Somewhere we could go to chill out, get away from work, walk around where no one would know us and just generally get away from it all on a relaxed, calm, restful beach holiday.
We ended up booking a week in Ibiza. Not exactly the first place you think of when you hear the words ‘restful’, ‘calm’ or ‘relaxed’. In fact, I’m sure Ibiza has cropped up on more than a few of those television programmes which show British tourists wobbling around foreign streets, slurring their words, starting fights with their pants round their ankles. Hopefully we’ll be a safe distance from any of that shenanigans though…at least ‘the pants round the ankles’ crowds anyway.
We’re staying in a hotel in San Antonio, a good 20 minutes drive outside Ibiza town, so we do have the option for a clubbing night out if we’re feeling lively enough. It’s still pre-season in May, so it will probably still be pretty calm. Well, calm until Ka and myself get a couple of cocktails down us and then head out to Pacha to get involved, donning our shades, luminous shorts and glow sticks, starting the season off ourselves. Whatever happens, it’ll just be good to get away, even if it is only just for a week.
Something else to look forward to is the return of Doctor Who, back on our screens tonight. My inner geek, and my outer geek for that matter, rejoices. Not that I’ll be in (I’ll be out and about) but hopefully it’ll be on the iPlayer by the time I get round to watching it tomorrow (or late tonight depending on whether I’m allowed!).

It was sad to hear of the death of Lis Sladen, during the week. The Sarah Jane Smith. The Doctor’s greatest companion, whom he mat back in 1973, in his third incarnation, the great Jon Pertwee. Obviously I wasn’t around back in 1973, but on becoming the Doctor Who and sci-fi geek that I became, soon caught up with past events. Even though Sarah Jane hadn’t been in the show continuously when I was a kid, I always remember knowing who she was whenever she cropped up.
Sarah Jane set the benchmark for all female companions to follow, making them all stronger, tougher, more rounded, realistic characters, not to mention the fact she was fairly fanciable in her younger years.
My inner geek waved another accusing fist up at the heavens when I watched the news reports on Tuesday and it has only been a few months since the great Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart, Nicholas Courtney, passed away. Another brilliant companion of the Doc’s from around the same time, and like Sarah Jane Smith, popped up on more than one occasion throughout the show’s history to aid the Doctor in battle against another nasty alien threat.
Sladen was only 63 but had been ill with cancer. I couldn’t believe she was 63, never mind ill.
News today has also broke of John Sullivan’s death. The creator of Only Fools and Horses, another absolute classic and another of my favourites. Sullivan was surely a comedy writing genius of our time? He was only 64?! That’s nothing!
Irreplaceable, both of them. The Doctor’s greatest companion and the man that created Delboy and Rodney.
Another thirty years and I’ll be the same age. Will the next thirty go as quickly as the last thirty? I may not even last that long!
Sorry, getting depressed again…

“The universe has to move forward. Pain and loss, they define us as much as happiness or love. Whether it's a world, or a relationship… Everything has its time. And everything ends”.
Sarah Jane Smith

Daleks, pirates and tropical plants

Yesterday morning I had an appointment with the Doctor. Unfortunately he did not turn up, which was odd because a familar blue police box was certainly there . Yes, yesterday morning Ka and myself ventured along to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery to experience the Doctor Who Exhibition that's been open since the end of March. My inner geek was enthralled. With a host of models, costumes and props the small exhibition was very entertaining with some great exhibits on show. The Daleks squawked and moved by remote control firing lasers at the viewers and the Cybermen lit up, speaking in their monotone accents and didn't really manage much movement at all. A slight wobbling was all you seemed to get from the Cybermen after activating them by pressing the one big button at the front of their stand. Kylie's outfit from the 2007 Christmas episode was also there. I stood looking up in awe at those fish net tights and waitress uniform for perhaps a little too long. Another highlight was a Dalek that you could actually climb inside, control and voice by speaking through a mike which transformed your normal tones into that of the metallic pepperpots themselves. When I say it was a highlight, I mean, it would've been if I had had the opportunity to have a go. The thing was forever surrounded by these flamin' kids who could not even do a decent voice through the speaker. I tell you, if I'd been given a chance inside it the kids would have all been running for their lives! As we left Ka managed to crash one of the touchscreen computers which taught you all about the Doctor, past and present. Ka requested info on Ecclestone's Doctor to which the computer gave a viral warning and closed down. Unfortunately K-9 was not around so we had to inform a clueless security guard who just kind of garbled something expecting a laugh and when we looked back blankly he shrugged and carried on moping about. He was possibly a little scarier than some of the creature designs surrounding us.
After our adventures in space and time we headed up Byres Road to Oran Mor for some lunch. As we discovered on entering the friendly whisky bar, Celtic FM was transmitting live with various different musicians and singers which we listened to as we bought a pint. After sitting quietly, listening to the music for approximately ten minutes or so, another bunch of folk dressed in blue rags and rubbish pirate costumes jumped out from behind one of the bar's wooden pillars singing 'A Pirates Life for Me' and 'Yellow Submarine'. As this all kicked off I was just standing to make my way to the bar to order food when a small man in his sixties, who had been sitting quietly beside me but at the next table, jumped up on to his feet, elbowed me out of the way and started playing a flute shimmying away to the music, joining the young pirate with the guitar. Picking myself back up I made my way round all the shiny happy pirates to the bar and realised it was 'A Play, a Pie and a Pint' day in Oran Mor. This relaxed lunchtime theatre programme runs in Oran Mor through the Spring and Autumn in which you can go along and for the price of a ticket get a , you guessed it, drink, pie and play. In all honesty the pies did not look up to much but scotch pies are often like that. Once you start eating them you generally forget that they actually look a bit unappetizing.
After lunch Ka and myself then headed to the Botanic Gardens across the road for a walk around the plants, ponds, glass houses and sunbathers. It had been a long time since my last visit and the gardens really impressed with their vibrant colours and amazing amount of tropical foliage. Don't get me wrong, I don't have much of a clue when it comes to gardening and always speedily flick the channel whenever I hear that Beechgrove Garden theme tune but the walk round the Gardens and the Kibble Palace was surprisingly enjoyable.
Once evening came we were once again eating out, only this time it was with Mum, Dad and Lynsey Ann for Tapas in Ola, EK's one and only Spanish restaurant. It was Mum's treat and we all ended up leaving, bellies full and a little inebriated. It was the Brandy's fault. They ran out of JD.

Smith and moans

At the turn of the year there I finished Zadie Smith's 'On Beauty'. Smith's own version of E. M. Forster's 'Howards End' about two families seperated by class and beliefs, each with their own lives complicated by gender and personal morals. A good book but slightly underwhelming in the end. Too many main characters. There were nine members in the two families, causing the characterisation to be too thinly spread, in my measly opinion. In the end it felt like a relief to finish the book.
Since the new year the news and newspapers have been pretty depressing seeming to contain nothing but death, conflict and war, mostly to do with the Gaza conflict adding to the chaos in the Middle East. Peter Sissons only managed a smile on Saturday night with the news of the casting of the eleventh Doctor, taking over from David Tennant in Doctor Who. Some young guy called Matt Smith. The only role I've seen him in was in 'The Ruby and the Smoke' a dramatisation of Philip Pullman's book. Apparently fans all over the internet are outraged at such a young actor being cast. Why are fandoms like that? Why can't people just wait and see what happens? Give the guy a chance! Okay, he's no Jon Pertwee, but we've all got to move on. This is exactly what happened to Daniel Craig when he got the Bond role. Bond fans all over the web were screaming for blood because a blond guy had been cast in the role. Give us a break! Look what a great Bond Craig has turned into. Certainly not the worst (Roger Moore anyone?) What are these weird people like? Sitting at home, at their computers, typing away, moaning and ranting... believing themselves to be right about everything... in the hope that someone will read their thoughts and opinions......(cough)
Anyway, I did not have far to go in my hunt for a new book to get on with. In the end I went for a book I received as a present for Christmas. Jonathan Ross' own book, fittingly titled "Why do I say these things?". It was released before Christmas and as Ross said himself, was perfect for not only exploiting the Christmas market, but for "the relative that was difficult to buy for". Which I found slightly strange as I've always been told how I'm easy to buy for? Obviously Ka's Mum does not reckon so. I'm only three chapters into it (I started it late last night) but am quite enjoying it so far. It's not an autobiography but a collection of tales (perhaps verging into the tall department) from different times throughout Ross' own life. In fact, it's very much like reading a blog. I wonder if any of our blogs will ever make it on to bookshelves for the Christmas market? Or even the Barrowlands market? Okay, maybe Paddy's Market? If Ross can do it, so can we!

Renovation

Anyone watching Dead Set on E4 at the moment? It's a rather entertaining drama horror based around the premise of a Big Brother rudely interupted by a zombie outbreak in the best George A. Romero fashion except with a more 28 Days Later atmosphere to it all. It's actually surprisingly better than I thought it would be and a lot more dramatic with a lot less comedy. Charlie Brooker is the man behind it all. He usually writes for The Guardian and does a show on BBC four called Screenwipe in which he reviews and snidely slags of tv. Like Harry Hill except without the stupidity and a ladelfuls more sarcasm (and when I say Harry Hill, I mean the TV one, the one with the big glasses and collar, not the one that I go hill climbing with!). We've also been watching more of The Mighty Boosh, 'The Legend of Old Gregg', to be precise in which our hero Howard Moon has a scarring encounter with a strange, transsexual merman who likes watercolour. Brillaintly weird as always.
Talking of brilliantly weird what's all this about David Tennant leaving the TARDIS? Gawds sake. Gutted! Who could possibly replace the mighty Tennant as the Doctor?! It just cannot be done! When Tennant first donned the suit I wasn't so sure but his sheer enthusiasm and brilliance in the role got me hooked again (more than Eccleston's personification did). Steven Moffat is taking over the writing duties as of 2010 though (a great tv writer), so that should breath some new life into it. Was never a major fan of Russell T Davies' arc building and then disappointingly demolishing...
Passed Crystals in EK the other day. The other night my sister claimed it was being demolished and replaced with a very similar building. It is in fact being renovated and is now surrounded by scaffolding. Ah shame... those sticky floors always made those Crystal nights memorable. It was a bit of a dive. It got so bad that at one point, earlier this year, Ka, Chaz, Kenny and myself opted for Centre Point instead... and that's saying something.

Brilliant Adventure

Ended up in the Casino on wednesday night after a few drinks in Bunker and then the Garage. Colin is leaving for a new life in Warrington so we had to go somewhere for a few drinks to send him off! Afterwards, Chaz and myself headed for the casino. It's very easy to see how people get hooked on gambling. Chaz was teaching me the ways of the roulette table whilst trying to sell the Floor Manager a car, surprisingly enough. He failed with the car selling but did make a little money himself at the table and managed to teach me a thing or two on the rules of the table. Managed to make some money out of it - not a lot but the night out was paid for. It all just seems so strange to me that you make money from placing counters on a game table. But I suppose that's how these places pull you in. The occasional dabble is good fun though. We eventually dragged ourselves away from the spinning roulette and walked out into the early morning light getting home at five in the morning.
Next morning I read the interesting article From Sunday's Mail on Sunday on the god like music maestro that is David Bowie. In the piece Bowie himself picked out 12 tracks for the free CD to accompany the article and wrote about each song explaining why he chose them as favourites. The article is now online. Click here to read it.
Talking of 'Loving the Alien' its the final episode of the current series of Doctor Who tomorrow night. Will Tennant regenerate? We all flamin' hope not! The guy's a brilliant actor and a brilliant Doctor. He did take a little getting used to after Eccleston's grumpier approach to the character but not long. Personally I think he'll survive. Don't know how but that's up to Russell T Davies (I do have a few theories knocking about though). Colin came up with the best theory on Wednesday night - the TARDIS itself would stop the regeneration and come to his rescue! Again, don't know how.
Before that however, there are paintings to be hung and preparations for next weekends trip to Balado.

The Stolen Earth

Last night's Doctor Who was a great 50 mins of tv. Fantastic! A total return to the edge of y'er seat Doctor Who excitement of old. The return of Davros and his Daleks with The Doctor and Donna gaining the help of friends old and new but the cliffhanger had to be the cruelest cliffhanger of them all! Half zapped by a extermination ray from a Dalek prowling in the shadows. Could this be the end for the tenth Doctor?

Television man

The Apprentice finally tomorrow night folks! Don't miss it! 

I've got a sneaky suspicion Claire is going to win it but I'm supporting Lee as he seems the most grounded, hard working and easy going guy out of them - out of all sixteen of them! Even though he exaggerated slightly on his CV and obviously had a problem with the spellchecker, either that or he just can't spell! He was also a bit nervy on the presentation side of things but hopefully he'll get over that for the final task. Thought Raef was also very good but alas he did not make it this far. Although Claire has got this far she was the instantly dislikable one for me at the start of the series but has since apparently changed... or so she is leading everyone to believe. Don't think Helene is up to much at all - does she have ANY memorable moments from the series at all? Alex is a bit smarmy and full of himself and plays the 'I'm so young' card way too often so Lee is Sugar's best man for the job in my opinion.

Whilst I'm babbling about tv, is anyone watching the current series of Doctor Who? Or are there any followers of Lost out there? How about Heroes? I sound like a telly addict now but they are really the only programs I watch! Lost leaving a big gap on Monday nights now as its current series has just come to yet another cliffhanger ending, leaving us, the poor, desperate viewer without more answers for another year! Damn you J.J. Abrams! Damn you to hell! (If the Island is Hell that is...?)