One of life's pilgrims

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Honestly? I wouldn't. I've mourned the loss of a few too many characters to think about offing any of them.

Now there are some I wouldn't say no to bringing back to life. Including ( possible spoilers ).

...get hold of a copy of this song from iTunes.

In other news, one of the rounds on UniChall last night was about Alma Schindler. Thanks to the works of Tom Lehrer, I answered the first one (Gustav Mahler) easily enough, and after much brainstretching, managed to remember the name Gropius for the second. Did better than the team who were actually answering the questions. Honestly, don't students listen to Tom Lehrer nowadays?

I've sometimes thought I'd like to go back to university just so I could be part of a UniChall team. That, or for Open University to have a team with a player called Dawes. Just 'cos it would make me unreasonably giggly every time Roger Tilling says "Open Dawes".

Jonathan Creek was...not as great as could have been. ( Spoilers. )

Quite enjoyed Three Men in More Than One Boat. I don't know who had the idea of teaming up Dara, Rory, and Griff for re-enacting Three Men in a Boat a couple of years back, but it was variously a stroke of genius and a recipe for disaster. Normally both at once. Fun viewing, and it reminds me how much I'd like to go on a water-based holiday with Sarah.

In other news, it's been a good start to the year. Well, apart from my video player (the one I use for importing tapes into the computer) deciding to die on me (for some reason the transport controls just wouldn't work when I went to use it this morning). So I had to go to Argos to get a new one. Hadn't really expected that.

Apart from that, though, I've actually, for the first time in a while, made proper resolutions for the year ahead (they're in a public post, although frankly I wouldn't bother reading them unless you want to be bored to death - I just fancy a bit of accountability; y'know, if a couple of really good friends can come to me at the end of January and say, "you know this world domination bit? Have you actually been making much effort in that department..?"), and although it's early days, today was pretty good - I've been fairly productive round the house, and even, for the first time in ages, written a couple of diary entries.

Oh, and as there's still about half an hour of January 1st, and as I forgot earlier,

Happy New Year, Flist! Have a great 2009!

Dai. (Yes, I'm experimenting. Sarah calls me Dai. I think it kind of suits me. I'm convinced I'm part Welsh, despite the absence of any evidence to support that theory.)

...and all I got was...well, nothing, actually...

Had a good weekend. Sarah and I went Christmas shopping on Saturday - went to Bluewater and picked up various odds and ends, then rounded it off with a meal at TGI Friday's before heading back to Chelmsford. Sarah stayed around until about 5:30 (we had a bit of a shnuggle) before heading back to her mum's.

Watched Merlin (disappointingly unslashy, IMO - almost like I was watching the wrong show or something), ordered a pizza, felt generally lethargic, went to bed.

Then Sarah came down mid-morning on Sunday and helped me sort out my wardrobe - chucking out the (many) clothes which are too small or in tatters or have bleach stains down the sleeves (my fault, shouldn't wear them when I'm cleaning). As a result of which, there is now a fair bit more room in my wardrobe but I still have quite a few clothes which still fit me and are in good condition. So *yay*!

After that, we had lunch at Chelmsford's branch of Loch Fyne. It's admittedly a bit on what I consider the pricey side, but you get what you pay for - good food, good friendly service. Can't recommend it highly enough if you've got a branch in your area.

After that, we drove (I drove) round to Antonia's (I had difficulty with parking...) and Sarah met Jakob, whom she's not seen in ages (he seemed pleased to see his auntie!) and Eleni, whom she's not seen at all. So that was nice.

Sarah went back to her mum's (she's a star, really, driving out to see me twice in the same weekend), and meanwhile I felt vaguely productive, or at least less lethargic than I had done on Saturday, and did a bit of tidying and cleaning. Also cooked up some chicken for dinner. I had been going to Nando it, but didn't have much sauce, so instead I just settled for grilling it and having it with some new potatoes (Somerfield do a lovely little pack of new potatoes with herbs and butter which microwaves in 6 minutes and tastes wonderful), peas, and salad cream. Really rather scrummy.

Also watched another couple of episodes of Buffy. I'm on the fourth season at the moment, and have reached Wild at Heart (and ( Spoiler for a seven-year old episode )) and The Initiative (which was all a bit unexpected).

Oh, and at various points over the weekend, I also watched The History Boys, which was better than I remember it being when I saw it at the cinema. I was trying to work out where I recognised Andrew Knott (Lockwood) from, and it must be from Spooks: Code 9.

We're currently on a closedown day at work for a Christmas celebratory lunch thing. Loads of staff are out the back watching Mamma Mia.

Thanks to Becky, I'll be going to see David Tennant in Hamlet at the weekend. Suffice it to say, I'm rather excited by that!

Also at the weekend, Sarah and I will be sorting out Christmas cards. Anybody who hasn't asked for one, please feel free to pop along and leave your address.

Wonderful question on UniChallPro* last night - "which Beatrix Potter book is the only one with a human in the title?"

Now, granted, I'm not au fait enough to know the right answer (The Tailor of Gloucester, apparently), but even so I was rather shocked to see two teams of intelligent adults guess at Peter Rabbit (which, as the name suggests, is about, um, a rabbit) and Mrs Tiggy-Winkle (about a hedgehog).

I don't know - professionals nowadays. Tch.

(I bet the students would've got it right...)

David.

*That's fast lane talk for University Challenge - The Professionals. Pass it on.

Last ep of the current series of Ashes to Ashes tonight...

David.

I haz HIGNFY tickets for Thursday 5th June.

That's definitely one for me and one for Tim. Anybody else who's interested, reply in the comments to this entry. First and second come, first and second served.

David.