20 Christmas Bullet Points
It's strange: I go for days/weeks/months(!) without posting an update here because I don't feel I have anything particularly relevant to add, then finally turn around and think, "Aw, crap, I really should post something once in a while, just so the people who aren't on Facebook or frequent band forums don't think I'm face-down in a ditch somewhere", only to realise that there's actually so many little things to mention that the first post in ages will unquestionably be enormous, and will therefore take people several aoens to read... and let's face it, no-one has aeons in which to read anything at this time of year.
So: bullet-pointing, and the minimum of waffle, seems to be the way to go. In that spirit, I bring you: 20 thoughts off the top of my head.
[01] Off Christmas shopping tomorrow. I think this may be the earliest I've ever managed to actually finish my Christmas shopping. To put this into perspective, Steen has already finished her shopping, and for her it's the latest she's ever finished it. It's scary, isn't it?
[02] We're also off for a nice curry at Cromwells tomorrow night, with the Cosycats mob and our mutual friends AJ & Sarah. Ah, it'll be just what the doctor ordered after a heavy day shooting around Worcester city centre in the chilly winter air. I can taste those poppadoms already.
[03] Went to see Steve Hackett with Tony CosyCat a couple of weeks ago. To say I/we were blown away would be an understatement. I've seen some bloody fantastic gigs this year, but that one really took the biscuit. Completely awesome. If he ever plays anywhere near your neck of the woods, for God's skae go and see him. You'll be immensely glad you did. Gig of the year.
[04] Panic Room released their new album, Satellite... Or at least, those who pre-ordered the album got copies. It's even better than I envisaged, and since we've been listening to the band play songs from the new album for nearly two years now, as thy've been rotating them into their live sets, I envisioned it being pretty bloody good. Essential listening. Album of the year, in the face of more quality opposition than I can remember in a great many years. Go and order it now, if you don't own it already: http://www.panicroom.org.uk/satellite.htm
[05] Jeff Minter's Gridrunner Revolution for the PC has also been unleashed. Lots of blasting, with plenty of serious eye-candy thrown in. If you're in any way videogame inclined, go and buy it now. http://www.llamasoft.co.uk
[06] We appear to have bought a Wii. It is ace. The other consoles may be more powerful, and they may be doing their best to catch up to Nintendo's motion-control interfacing, but it's just a great deal of fun. Oh, and the new Super Mario Bros game is just brilliant. I can see a lot of Wii-hours being put in over Christmas!
[07] I'm currently collating votes for this year's Marillion Xmas Poll, which will probably be the last of its kind until at least 2012. If you have any idea what I'm talking about and haven't already voted, for crying out loud, GO & VOTE already. If you like Marillion, and don't have a clue what I'm on about, drop me a line and I'll fill you in. Before December 20th, though, please, because voting ends then and I get to do sinister and arcane things with Excel (or in my case, it's OpenOffice equivalent).
[08] I'm also still busily juggling online forums. I'm currently responsible for four: for Breathing Space (http://breathingspace.yuku.com/), Mr. So & So (http://mrsoandso.forumotion.net/), Panic Room (http://panicroom.omgforum.net/forum.htm) and Touchstone (http://touchstone.darkbb.com/), and am on graphic design/admin duty on forums for Crimson Sky (http://crimsonzero.proboards.com/index.cgi) and Karnataka (http://www.karnataka.org.uk) , not to mention serving as a moderator on the Fish forum (http://www.the-company.com/forum/). Who knows where the time goes, but it's still fun. The Panic Room forum in particular is undergoing a major overhaul at the moment, so feel free to pop in and hang around and chill.
[09] Karnataka are (finally!) mastering their new album, The Gathering Light, today. This means it'll be off to manufacture Real Soon Now, and that it'll be with those sensible souls who pre-ordered it in a couple of weeks, as long as the manufacturer can fit it in before Christmas. If you haven't pre-ordered the album, go along to the band's website at http://www.karnataka.org.uk and listen to the samples. Chances are you'll be ordering it afterwards!
[10] My reviews blog over at http://hippytowers.livejournal.com has been updated several times lately, though I'm keenly aware I've let it drop again over the last couple of weeks since Christmas etc took over. I've got a few more reviews to finish before Christmas, so hopefully there'll be one more glut of stuff to read before the New Year. Honest!
[11] I've discovered Foobar2000, which means I've been able to jettison iTunes. This has made my PC very happy indeed, as it's not running like a sloth every time I've got iTunes open. Foobar seems a lot less hard on the hardware which is A Good Thing, since the Hippy Towers PC is starting to show its age. Recommended to all - it's a bit of a faff to set up, but once you've settled on the right modules and are happy with your look, i's flexible, infinitely adaptable, and just one hell of a lot better than iTunes. It will also scrobble happily to Last FM and will talk to your iPods, too.
[12] There appears to be a small mountain of beer in the kitchen. This is also A Good Thing, especially since we're not actually going to Glasgow next weekend after all . If you're off to the Proghof, have a good one, and I hope to hear all about your misadventures in due course. I shall be raising a glass in your general direction on the night!
[13] There is a sizeable pile of DVDs by the side of our telly, too, awaiting our pleasure over the Christmas period. The Harry Potter, Indiana Jones and Star Trek series are all represented in their entirety, as is the Alien series (among others). I foresee much time spent slumped on the sofa in the darkness before the flickering screen, hand poised over a huge bowl of popcorn and other delicacies, and nicely chilled beer just within reach. Oh, I do like my downtime over the seasonal period.
[14] I need four more people for my team on Facebook's Treasure Madness! I'm within a mere few squares of having completed virtually everything the game has thrown at me, but need some help doing the heavy lifting. Anyone else out there playing who fancies being on team HippyDave?
[15] I really, really need to finish writing our Christmas cards.
[16] Current reading: Collected Ghost Stories by M.R. James. Christmas isn't Christmas without a good ghost story or twenty.
[17] Maya keeps insisting on trying to climb the Christmas tree. Again. I thought three Christmases on, she'd have given up by now, especially considering how much weight she's put on since she was a kitten. But no...
[18] Aren't chocolate-filled advent calendars just fantastic?
[19] Why is it so bloody hard to find Mingles this year? They were bloody everywhere the last couple of years, but we've had to positively mount a chocolate safari to find any this year. Quite disappointing. I'd have happily swapped our tiun of Quality Street or our twin of Celebrations for a tin of Mingles, but one small box is all we've seen. Alas!
[20] Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics. Still makes me laugh like a drain several dozen listens (and several years) on. Genius.
Until next time...