December 26th, 2009 by J

When P was little i was told by a colleague that:

“Make the most of the quiet when she starts talking you can never shut them up”

How true this has proven especially it would seem with P, She can talk nonstop for hours. I am not exaggerating i have timed it.

Now all children make up games it is part of their imagination and create situations, but the funniest are the imaginary arguments and where you have to be most careful. I mean the natural reaction to the screaming of “Dad he stole my spaceship, parked it on mars and wont give it back.” is not one a 5 year old wants to hear.  As i said careful!

The strange thing is that it is very easy to get caught up in the aurgument or world of the 5 year old.

• “Dad he stole my spaceship, parked it on mars and wont give it back.”
• “Well tell him to go get it” (hoping to avoid situation)
• “He says he doesn’t have any money to pay the parking”
• “Well give him some”
• “I don’t have any left, can i have some”

And as your halfway to your pocket you realise what is going on.

The problem is that when a child is born it has no concept of the world, A completely blank canvas with no preconceived ideas on conceptions of how the world works, right, wrong etc. When they reach a certain age their imagination kicks in, They go to school and mix with other children on a regular basis and generally start listening to the world around them. It is amazing to see how a child’s peers affect them but also how parents affect their children.

Example for you. In the grand scheme of things V and I are “Non-denominational” (for ease of argument) and i personally don’t agree with a child being pushed into a religion until they are fully able to understand not only the good but the bad as well.

The school that p goes to has kids from lots of different backgrounds and therefore lots of different faiths. P came home from school the other day and announced in the car:

• “Daddy I’m a christian”
• “Why!”
• “Because A says that I have to believe in something”
• “OK but why a christian?”
• “Well A says that as i have light skin i must be a christian”

Now a few facts A is black and her mum goes to the local gospel church twice a week. The question that springs to my mind is not that P HAS to believe in something although this is a little strong for me at 5, but the fact that a 5 year old believes that everyone with “light” skin believes in Christianity.

What the hell are her parents telling her as I’m sorry but there is not way a 5 year old has come up with these things,  they are the product of a adult.

As parents we shape our kids into the adults that they will become with the things we say and do. There is nothing wrong with kids waiting to deal with life decisions and in the mean time there is no need to be filling them with your own personal beliefs and hang ups.

Enjoy the Madness.

December 25th, 2009 by J

December 24th, 2009 by J

Synopsis:

With only three weeks left in his three year contract, Sam Bell is getting anxious to finally return to Earth. He is the only occupant of a Moon-based manufacturing facility along with his computer and assistant, GERTY. The long period of time alone however has resulted in him talking to himself for the most part, or to his plants. Direct communication with Earth is not possible due to a long-standing communication malfunction but he does get an occasional message from his wife Tess. When he has an accident however, he wakens to find that he is not alone. He also comes to realize that his world is not what he thought it was.

Ok so there are not too many possibilities for where this film could go, but when i first saw this film being promoted i was very interested. Not just because i liked the look of it and it being an English film but also because it was directed by Duncan Jones (David Bowies son) and knew it was going to be a little trippy.

The look is actually very good, Slick white walled (2001 style) space center and technology but all looking a little grubby with lots of nice little touches to indicate that all is not right or older than it seems.  Sams isolation has made him more attached to memories of his life on earth and there are very few movies that have expressed it so well ”in isolation, nothing really means anything”. Kevin Spacey as well was a great choice as GERTY and this film does feel like it has been taken time over rather than a Hollywood “burn em and churn em”.

One i will be buying.

December 20th, 2009 by J

Hi all, i thought i would write a little list of may my picks of Christmas TV. So here goes:-

Sunday 20th:

• bbc2 – 4.50-7.00 – The Eagle Has Landed
• bbc2 – 7.00pm – James May’s toy stories – Lego (another chance to see)
• bbc2 – 8.00pm – Top Gear – (repeated Christmas day)

Monday 21st:

• CH5 – 4.25pm-6.00pm -The Muppet Christmas Carol
• bbc2 – 11.25pm-12.50pm – Defying Gravity parts 12 (rptd 27th) + 13 (rptd 28th)

Tuesday 22nd:

• bbc2 – 5.00pm – James May’s Toy Stories – Plasticine
• bbc2 – 9.00pm – Mock the Week

Wednesday 23rd:

• bbc2 – 5.00pm – James May’s Toy Stories – Meccano
• bbc1 – 9.00pm – Spooks – Final ep
• CH4 – 10.00pm – True Blood – Final ep
• bbc2 – QI XL – (repeat from last Thursday on bbc1)

Christmas eve:

• bbc2 – 5.00pm – James May’s Toy Stories – Scalextric
• ITV – 6.00pm – Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride
• bbc2 – 9.00pm – Hound of the Baskervilles
• bbc1 – 10.00pm – QI – (repeated sun 27th and tues 29th)
• CH4 – 12.10pm – Slither – Comedy horror movie
• bbc1 – 1.05pm – Serendipity – Romantic Comedy

Christmas day:

• ITV – 1.10pm – The Polar Express
• bbc1 – 4.55pm – Shrek the Halls – one for the kids
• bbc1 – 5.30pm – The Gruffalo – One for the little ones
• bbc2 – 4.10pm – La Boheme – Film version
• bbc1 – 6.00pm – Dr Who
• bbc2 – 7.00pm – James May’s Toy Stories – Hornby
• bbc2 – 8.30pm – Blackadder – S3
• bbc2 – 9.00pm – Top Gear – (SHOWN 20th DEC)
• bbc1 – 10.30pm – Catherine Tate: Nan’s Christmas Carol

Boxing Day:

• bbc1 – 1.30pm – Bridge to Terebithia
• bbc1 – 4.40pm – Wallace and Gromit in the curse of the ware rabbit
• bbc2 – 5.05pm – Hamlet
• bbc1 – 7.30pm – Pirates of the Caribbean: at Worlds end.
• CH4 – 1.05am – Aeon Flux

Sunday 27th:

• bbc2 – 4.35pm – The Heroes of Telemark
• bbc2 – 6.45pm – James May’s Toy Stories – Hornby (RPT for those who missed it again)
• bbc2 – 7.45pm – Top Gear Bolivia Special

Monday 28th:

• bbc2 – 7.45pm – Top Gear Bolivia Special – (If you missed it)
• bbc1 – 9.00pm – The Day of the Triffids – NEW 2  PART SERIES

Tuesday 29th:

• bbc1 – 12.00 – Allo’ Allo’ – The Gateau from the Chateau
• bbc1 – 9.00pm – The Day of the Triffids – Final part
• bbc2 – 10.55pm – QI XL – extended RPT of Christmas eve

Wednesday 30th:

• CH4 – 12.05pm – Battle of the Bulge
• bbc2 – 8.00pm – James May’s Toy Stories – Lego (RPT)
• bbc1 – 9.00pm – The Turn Of the Screw

New Years Eve:

• DRINKING
• bbc1 – 8.00pm – Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Mans Chest

News Years Day:

• bbc1 – 12.55pm – Dr Who – the end of time RPT
• bbc2 – 2.25pm – The Guns Of Navarone
• bbc1 – 6.40pm – Dr Who – Part 2
• CH4 – 7.05pm – The Italian Job

And that’s all folks.

December 14th, 2009 by J

Neil Marshall does it again, The Director of Dog Soldiers has produced another great movie. I think one IMDB review said it best with the line

“A fun but deliberately dumb movie with nothing original”

I would agree with that.

Synopsis:

In an apocalyptic vision of the future, authorities brutally quarantine Scotland as it succumbs to fear and chaos when a virus strikes. The literal walling-off works for three decades – until the dreaded Reaper virus violently resurfaces in London. An elite group of specialists, captained by Eden Sinclair (Rhona Mitra), is urgently dispatched into the still-quarantined country to retrieve a cure by any means necessary.

I have to admit that I love this film. It is very much a “Escape from new york”/”Mad max” mash up and like these two films needs some suspension of disbelief to work but it has its moments. The lead played by the beautiful Rhona Mitra (Underworld: Rise of the Lycans) definitely adds a touch of glam to the proceedings. Sean Pertwee makes an appearance as one of the Dr’s and dies in a fantastically bizarre scene at a public BBQing. There are some other great appearances from Bob Hoskins and Malcome McDowell.

The use of a 2008 Bentley Continental GT Speed in the inevitable chase scene against Mad Max style cars and trucks is just one of the very bizarre moments in this film that make it worth buying. Also at £5 from Amazon worth it for a rainy afternoon.

December 13th, 2009 by J

A few post crimbo funnies for you.

First off for that utter emergency when you have a lack of paper. Sticking (loosely) with the connection this is probably the coolest Math teacher ever, Well he made me laugh.

Ever wondered which words would come out on top in a fight? Well wonder no further make them fight. Afterwards thought you need to seek absolution for your wicked ways.

For a laugh enjoy some of the worlds most baffling toys or understand when twitter becomes an obsession or even buy some lovely water with a twist.

Lastly one for Americans to help them with understanding other countries, The ultimate in Geek Porn and a way to help your kids through that time of losing a dog.