27th April 2009

Today was like a break in a storm really.

Got paid for a job, walked a dog, spoke a little with someone wonderful, went into town and straight away I found Return of the King in the same jacket as I own the first two volumes in, and for all of £2. Been searching for that for years! Then picked up a Doctor Who novel for 49p, and a few nice little bits and bobs. Came home, listened to the Manics.

Blissfull day really.

 

Regards,

Marwood.

26th April 2009

At home – miserable, awkward, painful.

In my heart – Joyous. I’m almost happy. Or at least, there is promise of 48 hours of happiness. And more beyond, I’d hope.

In my body - Best weights and walking of the week. This is good. Chocolate Cake and Ice Cream. This is bad. Probably all evens out.

Sundays are weird.

 

Regards,

Marwood.

Marwood’s Marathon (Days 5 to 8)

THE SENSORITES:

Its an oddity. Hartnell is brilliant, taking centre stage for the first time and an active role in the story, and shines throughout. The Sensorites themselves are wonderful and diverse characters, a far cry from the generic ‘Monster Of The Week’ that we’ll get later. There’s some genuinely unnerving stuff about people losing their minds. But there’s also an awful lot of very silly, ill-conceived and poorly-realised moments, embarrassingly straightforward detective work, and a woeful understanding of basic physics. Susan is undoubtedly one of the best things about the story. Its the calmer, remote, undeniably alien Susan of 100,000BC/The Daleks rather than the shrieking, hysterical, incompetent basket case she’s become in other stories. Its far-and-away Carole Ann Ford’s best performance since the first two serials.

THE REIGN OF TERROR:

A hugely fun little romp through one of the uglier periods of European history. The comedy is a little unexpected and jars a little with some of the grim events being depicted, but it is nevertheless a very welcome change after the uber-seriousness of this season. A fine end to the first year of adventures.

 

Regards,

Marwood.

25th April 2009

I’m in such a great mood right now. Sometimes things just click so well.

Ok, the last few days – not much to report really. My legs are in absolute agony from all the jogging and such. I feel really good otherwise, the weight is just dropping off me and I’m toning up. Its all good.

The dog-walking is ace fun, I’m not reading as much as I should, and the Doctor Who marathon is going far better than I might’ve expected.

Wolverine Origins is out this week. YES!

 

Regards,

Marwood.

Marwood’s Marathon (Day 4)

THE KEYS OF MARINUS:

Its really a bit of a mess this one. I mean, it really makes no sense. And whilst some of the design work is excellent, there is a lot of really shoddy stuff in there. Susan is becoming supremely annoying. There is a running theme through these episodes of morality, enforcement of law, the inherent tendency towards corruption, and State attempts to control the heart and mind of the populace, but Terry Nation never really goes anywhere with it. And the Voord are really, really shite. Frustrating.

THE AZTECS:

Superb. I wax lyrical about the story so often that I’ve run out of things to say. Just stunning. I love it.

 

Regards,

Marwood.

21st April 2009

Spent the morning doing random housework and watching the Doctor Who story The Keys of Marinus as part of my marathon. Lousy story, frankly. At least The Aztecs is next and I love that one. And then its The Sensorites which is the first story on this marathon that I’ve never seen before, so looking forward to that too.

A tiny bit miserable today. Its funny how one sentence in the wrong place can cut me so deeply. Of course, its probably just my own random insecurities and paranoias at work…I certainly don’t think the person concerned had any intention of upsetting me. I should probably just get over myself.

The healthy living hit a bit of a snag last night, in the shape of a Pizza Hut delivery. I said no to the idea a dozen times and even put the oven on to make my own dinner, and yet somehow I get talked into it, and end up wolfing down pizza, chocolate fudge cake and two litres of pepsi. I am weak-willed scum and no mistake. Tesco delivery on its’ way this afternoon, which probably won’t help matters either!

More stationery with DWA. It rocks.

 

Regards,

Marwood.

Marwood’s Marathon (Day 3)

MARCO POLO:

Just beautiful. You’d think that seven episodes told at a sedate pace might drag. But it really, truly doesn’t. The script sparkles, Mark Eden is superb as Marco, Derren Nesbitt is excellent as Tegana, and the main cast once again excel - the scenes in which William Hartnell’s Doctor spars with Kublai Kahn (and is bested by him!) are particularly joyous. Beautiful!

 

Regards,

Marwood.

20th April 2009

I hate women.

 

Regards,

Marwood.

Tired now

Funny old weekend. I’m feeling great, physically – definitely healthier, more energetic, more flexible, losing weight, toning up. And some aspects of my life are going great and/or steadily improving. Others still seem to be tumbling further and further downhill. Ah well.

Five weeks left in the big plan now. Things getting into gear. It’ll all be good soon enough.

Ten posts. Told ya.

 

Regards,

Marwood.

Books!

My marathon means that I can’t read any Doctor Who novels for a few months (because I don’t want any anachronistic references or whatever interrupting my flow…).So its a welcome opportunity to read, y’know, actual proper novels again for the first time in a while. Plus plenty of silly stuff thrown in for good measure. My reading list for the next week or so (mostly books I’ve been meaning to re-read for ages) looks like this:

• A Happy Death – Albert Camus
• Death In Midsummer – Yukio Mishima
• Breakfast At Tiffany’s – Truman Capote
• The Old Man And The Sea – Ernest Hemmingway
• Brave New World – Aldous Huxley
• The Magician’s Nephew – C. S. Lewis
• Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers – Grant Naylor
• Better Than Life – Grant Naylor
• A Rebour – J. K. Huysmans
• The Republic – Plato

 

That should do for starters, right?

 

Regards,

Marwood.