Episode 1377: Prometheus

So belatedly, I've just been to see Prometheus at the Arts Centre with Becky and Toby. I quite enjoyed it, and here's a link to an LJ post some guy wrote all about the symbolism of the film. He offers up a pretty intriguing analysis that does help to put into focus the themes of the film that I appreciated, although it still doesn't really excuse what some critics have rightfully pointed out, which is that the film, gorgeous as its visuals are, suffers from curious plot deficiencies that sometimes actually detract from its attempted intellectualising (courtesy of Lost's Damon Lindelof). I'm not talking about the unresolved ending, which while not exactly a cliffhanger, hardly makes for closure either. I get why it was done that way (Prometheus needed to be a self-contained film, but still leave room for a sequel to be made, pretty standard Hollywood studio reasoning), and I approve of that. What I can't get behind is how most of the characters behave completely illogically, given that they're mostly scientists of some variety, and the trip to this moon has only taken them two freaking years in cryostasis. Seriously, that's small change, so I don't get what the rush was for everyone, recklessly charging about and basically unleashing their own doom. Fair enough, Logan Marshall-Green's Charlie was clearly meant to embody an archetype in contrast to Noomi Rapace's Elizabeth, so his character's stupid behaviour is excusable (plus it was hardly his fault that he was dosed with DNA-altering black goo). Everyone else? Please. As if humanity got to the point of having advanced space flight by abandoning a rational and considered approach to scientific investigation. Having said all that, I think what redeems the film, apart from the visuals, is Michael Fassbender. (Side note: I'm a bit weirded out by how Fassbender looks just a little bit different in every film that he does. Maybe it's just me?) His performance as the android David is pretty much perfect, as far as I'm concerned. Kind of feels like Prometheus was two films being cobbled together, one being your standard expedition-gone-wrong movie and the other also a fairly standard sympathetic exploration of what it's like to be an AI, and the two don't really mesh properly until the film's sort-of ending.

Episode 1376: Many Pamphlets

Finally picked up all my post today from the Post Room. Lots of pamphlets, basically. Stuff from the Faber New Poets series, Holdfire Press (speaking of which, I really should think about putting together a pamphlet submission for them), and Penned in the Margins, plus a couple of novels. Want to just dive in and start reading, but there's still reviewing to be done. (Although let's be honest, all I really want to do is continue reading Snobs.) So I also met up with two Phils this afternoon. Chatted with Phil Jourdan over lunch about books and music, and also about plans to help me take things with Eunoia Review to the next level, which I'm very excited about. Have been wondering about ways to continue doing literary stuff even after I've left the UK, and this feels like the perfect opportunity. Then I posted some returns to Amazon UK and had coffee with Phil How, as well as finally getting my copy of the Writing MA anthology. This latest is twice as thick as the previous one, interestingly with no contents page or page numbers. Looking forward to reading the work of my friends though...

Episode 1375: Many Meetings

So I had a great time in London today. Finally met up with David Tait, so that's one more editor checked off the to-meet list! Also ran into George Ttoouli, which was a nice surprise. Got introduced to Jon Stone, who co-edits Fuselit with Kirsten Irving. (The magazine looks cool and I'm going to order the latest issue, maybe get some of the stuff from Sidekick Books too.) Would've liked to have stayed for one of the Poetry Parnassus events, but I'd promised Cui that I'd be at the Alvin Pang reading she organised at Woolfson & Tay. So I finally got to meet Alvin, whom David had coincidentally met at the launch for Alvin's new book from Arc, When The Barbarians Arrive. Pretty much had to dash off after his reading and a bit of the open mic after (where I read out 'Homecoming' and 'Caged', the latter's one of my favourites to read out because it's short but has a great twist ending), and even then, I barely made it to Victoria Coach Station in time. (Same thing sort of happened this morning at Cannon Park because my laptop was being uncooperative!) So all in all, a pretty great day.

Episode 1374: Dear NatWest, When Will You Stop Pretending This Isn't Serious?

I find it both amusing and a cause for concern that NatWest apparently still have not resolved their technical issue(s). It's been, what, two weeks now? Also, the apologetic note appearing on the bank website keeps getting signed off by increasingly senior executives. Right now, it's up to the level of Group Chief Executive. The notes are all the same though, just platitudes about how sorry they are and they promise no one will be out of pocket and they're doing everything they can to resolve the situation. Seems to be working though, since I haven't heard of anyone panicking. (Yet.) Lots of irate people, but not exactly a stampede of people trying to take their money out of NatWest accounts. (Oh wait. It's because they can't!) Meanwhile, I've also just realised that the review I've stalled on all day probably isn't urgent, since I don't think my editor is going to see it until he gets back from his trip anyway. I kind of still want to finish it before going to bed, as the magazine is short and the review's meant to be as well. I even know pretty much everything I'm going to say. I'm just hesitating about typing it out because I want to figure out how to be constructive with my criticisms.

Episode 1373: Bonfire!

Just got back from a barbecue-cum-bonfire in the field behind my church. It's kind of sad to think that this was probably the last time for quite a while, possibly ever, that I'm seeing some of my friends. I suppose there's always Facebook for keeping up with what's going on in each other's lives, but it's not really the same as being able to meet people and chat, especially people in the cell that I've been attending this year. Ah well, it was always going to be this way, wasn't it? No sense getting all cut up about it. So my copy of theNewerYork arrived today, and I'm excited to read it. Was very impressed that it was sent using first class international postage. Also tried to start my review of 20x20 magazine. I like the concept of it, but I just don't think this most recent issue is particularly strong. The images/artwork side of it is pretty good, but I'm not feeling it as far as the writing's concerned. Might be the issue's theme that's at fault, as I actually quite enjoyed the previous issue, which I've also been sent as a sort of reference. It doesn't really help that there's so little writing to critique in this issue in the first place, so it doesn't really feel wholly representative of the magazine.

Episode 1372: Drink To The Deadline!

Helen Mort's a pint for the ghost arrived in the post today. Haven't time to read it yet, but I'm excited to. Have been curious to read more of her work ever since I heard her read a poem at the Marginal Cartographies conference, so it was nice to see that her second pamphlet from tall-lighthouse was still in stock. (Just realised that her first, the shape of every box, is available as used copies from third-party sellers, so I've just ordered that too.) Had drinks today with MA people to celebrate another deadline passing, which is always fun. (The drinking bit, not the deadline itself.) Plenty of banter, basically. Am also starting to think that my goal of two reviews this week might be overly ambitious, given my immense talent for procrastination, but we'll see. I'll try to stick to it. I definitely could do the 20x20 magazine one tomorrow, since it's only 500 words, and I've already read Richard Meier's Misadventure, so I just need to find a few hours in which I can sit down and focus. Beyond that, who knows? Would really like to get back to reviewing a novel, just for a change, but that means actually reading one first, so easier said than done!

Episode 1371: So I Saw The Football Match...

Made a final push in the afternoon while I was in the Library and finished off the commentary. The whole thing's printed, and I've already done the e-submission, so I just need to wake up on time tomorrow to head into the department before noon. Now that this deadline is out of the way, it's time to get caught up on some reviewing work, as always. I've decided that I can give myself the rest of the week off where academic work is concerned, so I'm going to aim to have at least two reviews done by the end of the week. Should be possible, since I've been reading stuff for review here and there anyway. Am also happy to report that NatWest is now allowing me to transfer between my accounts again, although it would appear that their technical issues still aren't fully resolved. Not impressed! Got dragged to Rootes Bar after evening service to watch the football match between England and Italy. I thought it was rather dull, to be honest, right up to the point where England lost on penalties. (I did think it was pretty funny how quickly the place emptied once the match was over.) Honestly don't feel like I'm missing out on anything by not being a football fan!

Episode 1370: NatWest Fail Redux

Ha! I knew it was too good to be true. The NatWest epic fail is apparently still ongoing. The bank's trying to downplay it as a technical glitch, but it's clearly a pretty bad one if it's still plaguing their system after a week. In fact, the problem's actually got worse for me, as now I can't even transfer money between my savings and current accounts. NatWest says it's keeping bank branches open to ensure people won't have problems getting money out, but hey, thanks for closing your branch on my university campus. I'm not paying money to get a bus to take my money out of my account because you're incapable of resolving a technical fault in your system. That's just ridiculous, if you ask me. On a happier note, after all the computer drama yesterday in the Library, I've finally finished my portfolio. That just leaves the 1500-word commentary to write, which I may have a crack at now, failing which, I'll do it at some point tomorrow. I spent just over two hours in the Library last night after that fiasco, retyping stuff. I think the end result is an improvement over what I had, and I've tweaked the fictional e-mails a bit again this afternoon anyway.

Episode 1369: Seriously, Library Computer?

So I spent a good part of the day in the Library working. Managed to get all the Merlion e-mails done (yes, I've decided that having them as letters made no sense, since how would my fictional self know where to post them?), and even started adding to one of my short stories (have decided I don't really know yet where to take the other one, so why try fixing something that isn't broken?). So just as I was about to head back to my room from the Library, shortly before midnight, the PC decides to screw me over. For some reason, despite my having saved my work repeatedly over the course of the afternoon, evening and night, the computer somehow failed to actually save the work. A FML moment, if there ever was one. I've finally become the guy who loses his work, and it wasn't even my fault. Going to stay in the Library and try to get everything back down on the page again. So angry right now, but it's too quiet in the Library for some sort of massive, raging meltdown. I'm telling myself that if I can't remember what I wrote, then it clearly wasn't that great to begin with. Scant consolation, but there you go. If I'd been working on my essay instead of my portfolio, I think I'd be way more pissed off.

Episode 1368: Oh NatWest...

The NatWest saga has found a resolution. It seems that my issue wasn't an isolated one and was in fact part of something systemic. So the Ted Baker transactions have actually been wiped from my records, as if the money never left the account to begin with. Have now placed a new order for theNewerYork, and also one for Midwestern Gothic (summer sale on all issues!) and said magazine's editor Robert James Russell's novella, Sea Of Trees. Have heard nothing but good things about the novella, and I've been eagerly waiting for it to become available through Amazon UK (so that I can save on international shipping). Still haven't started writing, although a portfolio/essay-writing party might be happening tomorrow in the Library with Tory, but I will definitely get started on something after I've caught up with all my TV shows for today. Have had a few lines running through my head, and it's now a question of whether I want to write the 'letters' as syllabic poems or in prose. My current plan? Write them in syllabic lines, but justify the text so it looks like a block of typed prose.