Sunday, July 20, 2008
As regular readers will probably be aware, we have two dogs... Bailey and Max.Now these two daft mutts have very different characters, both being extremely funny, in completely different ways.
Max is very much the Virgo of the pair, knowing there is a right way to do everything, and routine and structure are very important to him.
Bailey on the other hand doesn't think anything at all. He just does whatever crosses that thing he has that passes for a mind.
So, for Max, games are very important... and it's very important that you follow the rules of the games. "Football" is his absolute favourite, though he's quite fond of "fetch" too.
Trouble is, Bailey likes to join in, and this wouldn't be a problem, except Bailey doesn't play by the rules... or rather, he doesn't play by any rules. His idea of playing any game with a ball is to get it in his mouth, and keep it there.
Obviously, when trying to play football, Max finds Bailey's playing technique rather aggravating. Our solution to this was simple... get more balls. If Bailey grabs the ball, just play with another one.
Good idea, you'd think, but for two things.
1: Max insists on playing with the original ball that he brought you, and no substitute will do... even if it is visually identical.
2: Bailey can fit a lot of balls in his mouth.
Steve 6:19 AM [+] (0) comments
Monday, July 14, 2008
Nearly a year ago I recieved an email from a Swedish chap asking permission to use one of my tunes, Saphire Rain, in the movie he was making.It was to be a strictly non-profit making short comedy film for showing in assorted film festivals.
He said he could offer no money, it being non-profit and all that, but if I allowed him to use it, would I like a copy of the film?
I said sure, and yes please.
That was the last I heard from him, and till today, I'd forgotten all about it.
So today, Andrea returned from work with an envelope from Sweden, and wondering why something addressed to me had been sent to her place of work... and what was I ordering from Sweden anyway?
I'd given this chap her work address, as you can never be too sure who you're dealing with on the internet, and as I have a fairly high profile... it was better to be safe than sorry, and not give out my home address.
I'd asked her permission, but obviously, it having been some time ago, she'd forgotten about it too.
So, on opening the envelope, there's a letter and a white label DVD, "Instead of Abracadabra" directed by Patrik Eklund, distributed by the Swedish Film Institute.
To be honest, I hadn't really expected to recieve a copy, and on top of that, if I did, I hadn't expected it to be a whole lot of good... low budget films just for festivals and exhibitions being what they often are.
We watched it anyway.
You know what?
It's really very good.
Around 20 mins to half an hour long, in Swedish with English subtitles, the productions values are excellent, the directing is good, the acting is good, and the story is genuinely funny.
And then best of all... when it gets to the climax... the scene that the whole story is building up to... there's my music... and not simply background music, but integral to the timing of how that scene plays out.
How thrilled am I?!!!
I'd say rush out and buy the film... but you can't. It's not available for sale anywhere.
I'd say rush out to the nearest film festival and see it... but you can't... unless you live in Scandanavia.
But what the heck. I have probably the only copy of this film in the UK, and I'm chuffed.
I'm in the end credits too :D
Edit:
I just googled the film, and guess what? It won an award.
"Swedish director Patrik Edlund's Instead of Abracadabra (I
stället for Abrakadabra) was bestowed with one of the local film world's most valuable trophies, the Bratek Short Film Award, consisting of technical services worth $143,500 adding $15,700 cash from the Swedish Film Institute."
Steve 6:30 PM [+] (1) comments
Friday, July 04, 2008
Having worked in a number of warehouses over the years, I've noticed that the attutude of dayshift workers towards nightshift workers is that the night shift are "a bit odd".Now, I can honestly say that this is a fairly accurate description.
I work on the nightshift myself these days, and over the months, have found that by a certain hour, usually around 3 or 4am, regardless of how much sleep I've had in the day, I always achieve a certain addled mental state.
On achieving this state, doing really stupid things is not only fairly common, it should absolutely be expected.
So last night, I proved this in the most ludicrous fashion.
I was working with a "scan gun"... a lazer barcode reader, which is pretty much a ruggedised Psion PDA with lazer, that looks rather like an oversized phazer from the original Star Trek.
Anyway, while working with said scan gun, I got an itch on the side of my nose, and went to scratch it... as you do.
However, it being 4am or so, while going to scratch my nose, I completely forgot I had the scan gun in my hand, and promptly smacked myself in the face with the thing.
Duh!
Steve 7:55 PM [+] (0) comments
I don't need to say anything about this.
The video speaks for itself.
Labels: computers, games, video
Steve 8:52 AM [+] (0) comments
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Regular readers will probably be aware that I collect old computers and consoles. They may not be aware that I regularly recieve emails from people who've seen my collection, either on my website, or on youtube, and ask if I'd like to buy their old (insert console or computer here).Now, while it's nice that they're interested, I always have to decline. It simply isn't safe to be sending money to complete strangers with none of the safeguards in place that you get with ebay, or other online stores. I recently stated this on my website, as it became frustrating, having to field so many of these emails.
So, imagine my surprise when I recieved an email from a very nice guy called Rob, from Shropshire, asking if i would like a handful of old systems and large collection of software, from his own collection.... for free!!!
Rob was making room for his grandaughter, so most of his collection simply had to go. He didn't have time to be messing around with ebay, and so rather than just throw it all into a landfill, decided to give it away to a good home. A search on google found my website.
How could I refuse an offer like that?
A week spent passing emails back and forth saw us meet up at a motorway services, at a halfway point between his home and mine, and transferring numerous boxes from his car to Andreas.
We chatted in the car park for a while and I have to say, what an extremely cool chap Rob is. So, if you're reading this Rob, a very big thank you. You also get a mention in my latest youtube video.
Now to save you all from hunting on youtube, or from hunting round my site, (where I haven't embedded it yet anyway), here is the latest video of my computer and console collection. All 10 minutes of it. (It took 3 attempts to make it fit into the time limit)
Labels: computers, consoles, video
Steve 3:32 PM [+] (0) comments
Friday, May 30, 2008
Nintendo Virtual Boy game vidoes are now up.On an entirely non-gaming note, wedding progress was made today.
We went to Sheffield where I bought my suit, and very nice it is too.
Later, we ordered our rings online, being quite unsatisfied with the same old unimaginitive stuff available in the shops.
Lets just say they're very cool, and very individual looking rings, and you can wait till they arrive before I show pics here.
Labels: consoles, games, video
Steve 4:55 AM [+] (0) comments
Thursday, May 29, 2008
More videos.Philips Videopac G7000 aka Magnavox Odyssey 2 gaming videos
Labels: consoles, games, video
Steve 6:18 AM [+] (0) comments
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
How cool.One of my favourite bands, Nine Inch Nails are giving away their new, and unreleased album The Slip, as a free download.
You can get it here.
Give them a valid email addy, then click the link in the email they send you and follow the instructions. No catches, no nasty surprises, just some very cool free music.
I'm sitting here listening to the album as I type this, and it's really rather good. NIN haven't been on best form since at least Things Fall Apart, but The Slip certainly knocks spots off the travesty that was With Teeth.
Labels: music
Steve 11:51 PM [+] (0) comments
Latest update: Vectrex retro gaming video clips are now uploaded and ready for your viewing pleasure.
Labels: consoles, games, video
Steve 5:39 PM [+] (0) comments
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