Science fiction weekend for us.

[nolawitch58]

DH, Pete and I decided that this weekend's video theme is science fiction. To that end, last evening we watched two episodes of the original BBC production of "Hitchhikers Guide". Those episodes bracketed the season finale of "Doctor Who" which I thought was awesome. We've got a lot of possible selections and we'll see how many we get through. I also have a bit of housework to accomplish in order to accomodate my visitors in a few weeks.

Because I wanted to get a lot done this weekend, I ran a few of my errands yesterday on the way home from work. Now all I have to do is run to the grocery and I can stay in with a to-do list the rest of the time. So much fun. The list includes vacuuming, laundry, bathroom cleaning and lots of other domestic drudgery which I don't enjoy much.

I'm hoping to get a little more writing done as well. I'm really resisting the first half of the fourth chapter. Maybe I should move onto others that I don't have a problem with, but I want to get the next couple ready for the group before they run out of recent revisions of chapters one through three. They've been through those three several times and I'm not taking those back to group until the whole thing is done and they get one last pass through.

HHGTTG was much better than I remembered it. The special effects, while not as advanced as today's, were very good. Considering that it took a great deal more work to achieve that stuff back then, I give the BBC props for their efforts. The production values were also better than I remembered. The sets were decent. They paid a lot of money for Zaphod's stolen ship and for Marvin. The mat shots of the Vogon fleet were well-done. hmc_lavadogs said he liked it better than the movie. That's probably because it followed more closely to the book and retained the nuggets of Adams' humour that were missing from the movie.

I'm going to miss Eccleston as the Doctor. He was a cheery chap. He also had a more proleterian outlook than some of the previous Doctors. The working-class accent helped. He also had a retro punk rock fashion sense about him. It wasn't overt, but you could see him blending in with any Clash or Sex Pistols audience back in the day. That said, I'm looking forward to the new Doctor who looks to be a hottie.

OK, I may or may not update as I get stuff done. On one hand, I'll be enjoying my progress and on the other hand, shit like housework is boring as hell. I will bother to update the movie selections and give brief reviews or new perspectives as you've doubtless seen them already.

Comments

Hey!

[saminz.livejournal.com]

Do you have some of this "Dr.Who" stuff on DVD, or something? I'm getting more and more curious... Is reading the "guide" mandatory at all :-)?

And now *you* are starting about housekeeping stuff, too... Gah.

*screws fists over ears...and eyes...misses some...screams in frustration*

Re: Hey!

[nolawitch.livejournal.com]

Rats! I didn't record any of the most recent series of the Doctor. I know voxwoman TiVos them, but I don't think programs can be transferred. Let me see what our lovely library has to offer. They're decent about British imports. We recently saw the "Connections" series one and two from the library.

"Hitchhikers Guide" is a different ball of wax. Originally it was a book by Douglas Adams, then it was a radio show, then it was a TV series, then somebody got the idea to make it into a movie. I've never heard the radio show. It may have been brilliant. The TV series is better than I remembered it being. The movie wasn't all that great.

Don't knock the housekeeping. You'll be glad there isn't an accumulation of cat fur on everything. Pete will likely be moving his stuff out next weekend so there will be lots of space for your luggage. We've got a computer to hook up to the network for you. That's on the list.

Do you have a real preference for Windows as an operating system? I would try to set it up in German for you if I don't get lost in the prompts. It's sad that I don't know the language considering that my ancestors were all German. If we can get a Linux system running easier with capability to switch over to German, we will.

Re: Hey!

[saminz.livejournal.com]

I was just joking, at least partly :-). I really have no clue about the Dr, and about the guide I know only that Beth's son in New Mexico carried it with him like some sort of bible while I was there :-). I meant the original book, actually, and the fact that you mention both pretty often, which makes me feel a bit undereducated :-D. I have no trouble with that state, though, being quite familiar with it around you guys...

No problem with cat fur at all. Only thing I'm allergic to is woollite - and any form of housekeeping :-). (I'm more or less tidy, though, don't worry. Because it helps keeping the housework down, see?)

I sincerely hope Pete isn't being thrown out because of me?! Don't!

And I don't really care about the OS, to be honest. All I'll love to use is a browser I can understand. And it will probably help a lot if you can somehow configure it in a way to make it open without requiring several levels of code ;-P. (Or you'll have to write them out for me. In print :-).) Firefox (and Safari) I prefer usually, but really anything will do. I won't do any programming anyway, you see :-D? And I doesn't need to be german, either. No worries! I remember asking for german, some place, but that was in connection with finding photoshop features, of which there are millions :-). I guess I can find my way around a browser, though.

Really: No worries. I'll adjust to pretty much anything as long as I get some sleep from time to time ;-).

Re: Hey!

[nolawitch.livejournal.com]

Pete finally found an apartment he can afford. He's not leaving on account of you. He's leaving to save his sanity. He's been staying with his sister during the week and she has two undisciplined brats that drive him crazy. When he comes here on the weekends, he gets peace and quiet.

We were going over the week today and if you don't want to rent a car, you can cancel your reservation and save the money. I'll be taking off several days and Pete will have off a few days so we can truly drive you around and let you feel like a reasonable sight-seer. If you're having to worry about driving, you won't be able to see as much.

Are you allergic to any foods? This will help me plan the feasting itinerary for the week.

Re: Hey!

[saminz.livejournal.com]

Eeep - children...! I quite see :-).

No, I'm not allergic to any food. Only thing I don't eat is liver, no idea why, actually. It always looks and smells so good, but I never managed to swallow any ;-). And I don't tolerate very hot stuff well - so if you are having any of these chile things like they do in NM, I'll be grateful for making them "on the side"... But that's more or less it. And I love to try new things!

About the rental - I really feel that would be asking way too much, now! At least, if I have my own, I can drive to and from the airport, and do *some* of the driving! But if you have time, I'll gladly let you guys drive me for sight-seeing reasons - I could go do the shopping for you, then :-D. (Did I mention that *anything* seems exotic and exciting to me while traveling ;-)?)
Or are there any parking problems at your end?

Re: Hey!

[nolawitch.livejournal.com]

No parking problems. I've got a reserved space out front and there's usually availability across the street.

OK, then I'm going to start planning menus. Monday evening when you get here, we'll have the traditional red beans and rice. Tuesday, we'll have a cookout which is also traditional for the Fourth of July. Wednesday, we can do the zoo and eat at Ralph and Kacoos in the French Quarter. Actually, we've got a good number of choices for restaurants as the nomenu.com site says there are 650 reopened after the storm. You'll have to have some crawfish and a shrimp po-boy. I've got a special something planned that you'll be able to brag about wherever you go for the rest of your life.

I don't bring liver home very often. I'm the only biped in the house that eats it. Not that the cats wouldn't be thrilled to have the chance, but I won't do liver for just one person.

We're going to have so much fun! Woo hoo!

Re: Hey!

[saminz.livejournal.com]

Oh yes - the crawfish!! I love seafood, anyway. But I'm not very used to butcher them myself. That's gonna get me a few laughs, I'm sure. I'll feed you some snails as a revenge if you ever come over :-D. A "cookout" is a barbecue-kind of thing? Sounds cool! And yeah, I guess 650 restaurants will do for a start ;-P! I'll brag about it anyway, rest assured. I've in fact started already :-D. It's so very cool to have places to go and fascinating people to meet at the other end of this ocean!

Must I worry...?!

But yeah. Fun we'll have! And lots of talking to do ;-P!

Re: Hey!

[kelli217.livejournal.com]

If Central Grocery is open, one should not miss the experience of a muffaletta... but you should probably split it. :)

[thewrongcrowd.livejournal.com]

It's western day here evidently. The SO likes 'em; I've seen them all. Relieves me from paying really close attention. :)

I didn't see either the movie or BBC television production of HHGTTG, but the radio version was incredible. In some ways, it was better than the books.

I refuse to clean. But yeah, I'll probably go sort some more stuff. There's a major Lion's Club garage sale in a week that I'm trying to get a bunch of stuff into.

[nolawitch.livejournal.com]

Giving stuff to a charity garage sale or Goodwill is so much better than tossing it into the trash. I can't stand to throw out anything that isn't well and truly broken.

If you ever get a chance, check out the BBC production of HHGTTG. I'm going to go watch a few more episodes now.

all that stuff is available on DVD

[voxwoman.livejournal.com]

I Have HHGGTG in (I think) every format it was produced in (books, radio scripts, radio play on vinyl, and DVDs of both the TV series and the film).

this season of Dr Who is available on DVD either this month or next - maybe you can rent them...

I don't have the entire season on TiVo, but I do have the last 2 or 3 episodes at least - and I can "dump" them onto DVD (since I now have a DVD recorder hooked into my entertainment system). Problem is finding the time to do it.

I'm kinda behind on my to do list these days.

Re: all that stuff is available on DVD

[nolawitch.livejournal.com]

Oooh! Total coolosity! I'll have to look for it. Thanks for the tip. Don't go to any trouble on our account. You're probably up to your armpits in undone tasks the same as the rest of us.

Re: all that stuff is available on DVD

[thenea.livejournal.com]

The first season of the new Doctor Who is on DVD July 4th.
*waits impaitiently*

I too am going to miss Eccleston as the Doctor, but we'll have to see what the next one is like...