James at 37 weeks (asleep)

hi everyone

check out those rosy red teething cheeks!! James now has about 7 teeth, but probably more as i type this!

he is doing well, still healthy and happy!

be excellent to each other!!

that resignation speech........

this looks like it could be the real thing!!

The if..... Online Petition

i see there is a campaign underway to get this on DVD!

if you are inclined to do so, please click on this link and sign the petition!

quality cinema

could anyone reading this shed any light as to why exactly one of the greatest films of all time, if..., is not available on DVD?

the amount of rubbish that finds itself on a digital versatile disc and distributed to the masses is shocking.

who do we have to complain to in order to have a nice shiny disc of this? one of the reasons i still have a VHS machine is because i may one day need to play this film again!

when excellent soundtracks happen to bad films

hey everyone

i was getting rather bored with the music in my car, and happened to discover a couple of David "Derek" Bowie comps i had made years ago. i threw them in the shuttle, and have been listening to them on repeat.

it occured to me that Derek's original recording of the theme for the film Cat People is a considerably better artistic achievement than the film itself. i am curious to find out other examples of this. Derek's other soundtrack work has normally been for very, very excellent filmns, such as This Is Not America for the soundtrack of one of my all time top films of all time, The Falcon And The Snowman. i suppose Absolute Beginners was a decent song for an average film, and i try not to comment on Labyrinth when possible.

if you are curious, please do not listen to the version of Cat People featured on the celebrated Let's Dance album. it features a "re-imagining" of the tune, with a lot of clumsy, wah-wah synth pop. seek the original, awesome drum driven version.

a most excellent picture of James

hey everyone

here's a fantastic picture of James, taken by his Grandma Ricketts. nice one!!

alas, i still have no proper, reliable internet access at home, and for some reason those happy people at my verk have taken the time, trouble, effort and imagination to block the login section for blogger! oh well, updates are now going to be more sporadic until at least the end of September.

i shall do my best to post regular James pics!!

be excellent to each other!!

Department of Tourism, Middlesbrough

as i was clearing out some of our packing (only 3 or so month after we had moved) i found this advert from Viz stuck in a box with some books.

well, i am proud of where i come from, and Michele has enjoyed both holidays that she has had in Middlesbrough!

at that price, a visit there would be a bargain!

a decent film released in 2006 at last??

i have no idea if this film will be any good as i have not seen it, but all the signs for The Prestige being one of the best of the year, if not the best, are there to see.

it's made by Christopher Nolan, which is a very good sign - Memento, Insomnia and Batman Begins are his masterpieces to date. and if the cast listed on the poster are not enough to cause enthusiasm, it also features David "Derek" Bowie, who tends to have more good acting roles than bad.

i am trying to find the novel by Christopher Priest, but alas no luck locating it as of yet.

what is the film about? magic. sort of. it seems.

counting down to the proposed release in October......

Open Eyed James Pictures!!

hello again

well, here are some pictures that show that James sometimes does stay awake when i take some pictures of him!

he's very healthy and happy!!

be excellent to each other!

James asleep at 36 weeks

hello again

well, i did mention in my last post that he tends to be asleep when i take a weekly pic of him!

let me see if i can find some of him wide awake!!

James at 35 weeks at last!!

hey everyone

well, we still take the weekly picture of James at the same time he was born. the problem, however, is that he tends to be fast asleep when we take them!

all is well here - sorry for the lack of updates of late, still no reliable internet at home so it is tricky to upload!!

be excellent to each other!!

Holiday Pics!!!

Hey Everyone


just a few pictures from our Holiday in Sun City. had an ace time!!

i am sure i have more to say, but knackered from the long drive!!

be excellent to each other!!!

James and the Class New Car Seat

hey everyone


well, we are getting ready to hit the road and head off to Sun City for a couple of days. one of the main things we needed to get for the holiday was a new car seat or two, as young Napoleon has very much outgrown his old one already!

he seems to like the new style seats, especially as he can see forward now!

check the teeth in some of these pics!!

be excellent to each other!!!!

James at 33 weeks.........Holiday!!

hey everyone

here is the young one, as usual fast asleep, at 33 weeks. i stuck "teddy" on top of him for these pics, as it makes a change to see him not throwing him on the floor!!

we are off on holiday for the week, Sun City beckons us. we are celebrating our 3rd wedding anniversary, and it is the first time we have taken James away!

be excellent to each other!!!!

quick update

hey everyone

sorry, really busy at verk at the moment, and getting ready to go on holiday next week!

here's some pics of James and I from the weekend. yes, yes, i will get the beard trimmed soon!

be excellent to each other!!