Sunday, October 29, 2006

Archiving

The reason for a complete lack of activity around these parts is not that my life is devoid of any interest whatsover, au contraire ! Nope, its to do with a number of people, myself included being unable to enter any comments into the comments box. I am finally giving up on enetation and going over to blogger's own internal system, introduced some time after I started blogging. Problem is that there are some posts in particular that I am loath to lose, so I am going through them all cutting and pasting one by one, into a word doc that I can keep and maybe even paste into the blog archives at the appropriate points. So that's taking my time up. Oh and there's the football, biggie today against league leaders and team of choice for Reidski and Darren. We haven't taken a point from them since the arrival of Mr Jeffries. Perhaps today's the day!
posted by timesnewroman at 12:24 PM  

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Sunday, October 22, 2006

Lookee Here

posted by timesnewroman at 12:24 PM  

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Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Battle of the Album Covers

Whooee. Recognise some of these then?
posted by timesnewroman at 8:05 PM  

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Sunday, October 15, 2006

2 Memes and A Result

Father Bell sent me a circulating Meme which I have passed on to some folks. I reckoned I'd stick it on here as well to fill the space and to invite more responses.

Four things about me! Me! Me!...

A) Four jobs I have had in my life:

Trainee Carpet Salesperson
Apprentice Electrician
Motor Partsman
Contract/Commissioning Officer

B) Four movies I would watch over and over:

Pulp Fiction
Still Crazy
Casablanca
Woodstock

C) Four places I have lived:
Irvine
Irvine
Irvine
Irvine

D) Four television shows I watch:
University Challenge
Grey's Anatomy
Saturday Kitchen
Spooks - despite the shit, unbelievable story lines

E ) Four (favourite) places I have been on holiday:
Cuba
San Francisco
Paris
Tunisia

F) Websites I visit daily:
The Guardian
Timesnewroman.Blogspot.com
BBC News
Glasgow.gov.uk

G) Four of my favourite foods:
Tournedos Rossini
Lamb Curry
Sea Bass
Lobster

H) Four places I would rather be right now:
*See E

I) Four CDs

Mr Beast:: Mogwai
Mlah : Les Negresses Vertes
Weightlifting : The Trashcan Sinatras
One Flight Up : Dexter Gordon

Gwan respond.

Meanwhile over at Inveresk Street, Darren has an iTunes Meme going. Preferring my Sony for sound, I unfortunately lack the sophistication of iTunes sorting capabilities. I've had a go at it though as follows:

Lost In Music

Total Songs = 3474 With about the same number on another directory in mp3 (I felt compelled to make that clear lest you think me pitiful)

First and Last by Song

A Boy Named Sue - Johnny Cash
Zwitter - Rammstein

First and Last by Artist

35 - Something's Got to Give
Yes - Siberian Khatru

First and Last by Album

(What's the Story) Morning Glory - Oasis
Young Team - Mogwai

10 Most Played

You're Just A Baby - Belle and Sebastian
The Battle Of Evermore - Led Zeppelin
Fight Test - Flaming Lips
The Wagon - Dinosaur Junior
Stwisted - Edie Brickell and The New Bohemians
The Stars Of Track And Field - Belle and Sebastian
Rock Lobster - B52s
Les Martyrs - Tiken Jah Fakoly
My Beautiful Friend - The Cahrlatans
Mi Revolueshanary Fren - Linton Kwesi Johnson

10 Most Recently Played
The last 10 songs on Mlah -Les Negresses Vertes

Search - Sex = 3

Sexuality - Billy Bragg
Sex Education Ghetto Style - Gil Scott-Heron
Sexy - Marius Muller Westernhagen

Search - Love = 183

A sampling of 10 includes

Love Hurts - Gram Parsons with Emmylou Harris
The One I Love - REM
A Love Supreme - John Coltrane
Lovestain - Jose Gonzalez
Who Do You Love - The Quicksilver Messenger
Crown Of Love - Arcade Fire
All The Love of the Universe - Santana
Bold As Love - Jimi Hendrix
Love Like A Man - Ten Years After
Love Child - Goodbye Mr Mackenzie

Search - Death =7

Death Of A Clown - Dave Davies
Angels Of Death - Hawkwind
Folk Death 95 - Mogwai
Death Or Glory - The Clash
The Death Of All Romance - The Dears
The Black Angel's Death Song
Love And Death - The Waterboys

Search - War = 6

Rumours Of War - Billy Bragg
Masters Of War - Bob Dylan
Talkin' World War 3 Blues - Bob Dylan
Who's Going To Win the War - Hawkwind
Star Wars Theme - LA Philharmonic
And A She Wolf After the War - Throwing Muses

Search Peace = 2

We Have Got To Have Peace - Curtis Mayfield

Search Rain 14 (once I've removed al the Train Songs)

10 of which
Raining - Ancient Beatbox
Rainy Day Women Nos 12 and 35 - Bob Dylan
A Hard Rains Gonna Fall - Bob Dylan
Standing In The Rain - Husker Du
Fire And Rain - James Taylor
After The Rain - John Coltrane
The Rain Song - Led Zeppelin
Pencil Rain - They Might Be Giants
So. Central Rain - REM
One Rainy Wish - Jimi Hendrix

Search - Sun = 26

10 of which
Sunny Afternoon - Kinks
Waterloo Sunset - The Kinks
Higher Than The Sun - Primal Scream
Blood Of The Sun - Mountain
Sunspots - Bob Mould
Another Sunny Day - Belle and Sebastian
When The Sun Goes Down - Arctic Monkeys
Just In Time To See The Sun - Santana
Fell From The Sun - The Pale Saints
Sunset Sawn - Spirea X


Search - Socialist, Anarchist or Communist = 0
Is that bad, I must have Anarchy in the UK somewhere.

Meanwhile back on earth, the bold Killie go from shit to strength. Good performance all round, particularly impressed by: the return of Simon Ford for an hour anyways; Naismith's runs; David Fernandez's deft touches.
posted by timesnewroman at 11:53 AM  

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Saturday, October 07, 2006

Back

We were tremendously excited at the prospect of a week in Paris, plenty of time to relax a bit and see things at a more leisurely place then on our previous visit and a notion that we wouldn't spend outrageously. Where for to start? The airport I guess security procedures a bit tighter than June, with the no liquids thing. Fortunately though, they previous day saw some relaxation of the cabin baggage size. After cleverly being first in the queue for checking in, we then made our way to what we knew to be a rather humungous queue to go through the security screening. Fortunately for us, the queue had shortened significantly and it wasn't long before we were through. Unfortunately, we had to lose the quiche I had made specially for our trip, to keep us going between lunch and a probable late evening meal. Quiche seemingly can be dangerous. I'd have eaten it if it wasn't for the fact that we had just had lunch. So we'd have to have something on the way if necessary. Picked up a couple of bottles of gin as aperitifs, knowing that Paris drinks in cafes etc were pretty dear. Flight delayed but eventually we're on, we're up, we're off and onto the bus towards Paris. Its pouring, I'd looked at the long range weather forecast which said rain late Saturday, chance of showers during the week, but nevertheless still quite warm. Bus drops us at Porte Maillot

On to the RER, only the ticket office is closed but we have enough coins for two tickets then its a short walk from St Michel - Notre Dame to the hotel. Unfortunately by now it is really chucking it down and we arrive drowned rats. Fortunately we're minutes getting up to our first floor room, dried and back out into the rain as far as the Vietnamese Restaurant two doors away that provides me with a fabulous bowl of Pho, caramelised ham and thewife with some langoustine fritters and the chef's special crispy chicken with a bottle of Cote du Rhone for a ridiculously cheap price. Then back to the hotel where we had several gins for a nightcap. and bed.

Next day, weather was nice and bright, we explored the surroundings of the hotel which we hadn't done before, visited the Pantheon and the Luxembourg Gardens. We had dinner in a Tunisian Restaurant that night which was bloody good and again fairly reasonable.

Monday we went to the Caveau De La Huchette, where the music was brilliant but the "dancers" were shite.

Tuesday we wandered round the market and were shocked at the fabulous range and quality of the food you could buy there. Beat the shit out of even the finest farmers' markets at home.




































After that we headed off to Pere Lachaise, where anybody who didn't quite make it into the Pantheon is buried. Very impressive indeed, and on a nice day, despite having busy bits it was nevertheless a really tranquil place, beautiful just to wander around.In the evening we went to a fabulous French restaurant near Notre Dame, where I had an amazing Duck Confit and thewife had Breast of Duck with a wonderful sauce and for pudding, I had Tarte Tatin and thewife had the best double chocolate mousse cake with white chocolate sauce an raspberries ever.















Tuesday night we went to see Mogwai at the Olympia. Were they good, nope they were fucking absolutely brilliant, Even thewife enjoyed them and as a rule she can take or leave them, she likes the quiet stuff quite a bit, but shudders sometimes at the noise. Live though she got them big style. Lights were superb, concert was superb and we got chatting to a big guy who spotted me pointing out his Celtic strip to thewife. One of the best bits though was the fact that we had seats, good seats too, so no standing for ever or stretching up and down to see over the big guy in front of us. Then home via Opera which was pretty outstanding at night.



Wednesday morning Eiffel Tower, up to the top where thewife phoned mumsy who advise her to stay clear of the edge. Wednesday PM the Louvre. We'd looked at it before but not gone in this time we would. We did the normal stuff, like Venus De Milo and La Giaconda which I was surprised at being able to see and to look at for pretty much as long as I wanted. Then we went to have a look at Napoleon III's chambers and the Islamic art section. And that was it, any longer and we would have been all cultured out.



















At night we went back to the Vietnamese, cos we were knackered and couldn't be bothered going too far.

Thursday we went to Giverny by train, bus and foot. I'll let the pictures give you an idea of just how fabulous it was.



































To cap a fine day off we went to a Persian Restaurant which I have to say dragged us in by its menu and stunned us with the simple beauty of its decor and the sheer joy of its food. Chez Bibi, 15, rue Fréderic Sauton if you are ever in the vicinity
















Friday we went to Le Grande Arche. Don't fucking understate things do the French! Grande? It was fucking Ginormous, surrounded by shops which we had to go into. Surprisingly out of the 250 shops on 3 floors of a sort of supermall, thewife fortunately was sated by a brief stop in about 4 of them. Then we went for lunch miles away to the boulangerie which makes the best quiche on planet earth. Well worth a trip out of your way, to Abbesses.


















Friday night, we had to eat out, local French Bistro where they had a Soiree Menu, expensivish, but interesting nonetheless 4 courses with wine included, and coffeeand an accordionist thrown in to boot, who managed to play all but the most obscure of thewife's Piaf requests.

Saturday and its a case of last day blues, packed, suitcase in basement and a last tramp around the Latin Quarter, buying wine cheese and extremely tacky stuff for mumsy. Lunch at a place that specialised in Moules, and then slowly heading back to the hotel to get our stuff and get moving towards the airport.


















A fabulous time was had by all and we hope to get our pennies gathered so we can go back soon. I've looked at the Ryanair site and we can get 2 returns for fifty quid inclusive for March of next year and I am tempted.

Did I mention that I brought a Quiche back into the country? True, you can't take them out but you can bring them in.

I think we are definitely turning Francophile which gives us a problem later today Allez Les Bleus! Actually, that we would be Le dark Bleus
posted by timesnewroman at 11:19 AM  

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