animbus

2011-10-11T04:41:00.001+13:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVysLueRqD0Uploaded a clip to youtube of the Red Hot Chilli Pipers drummers in action!

Madness! Power! Domination!

2011-10-11T00:23:00.002+13:00

Erm. Somehow I've been busy this past month, doing STUFF and THINGS.I've attended two matches at the Rugby World Cup, and been to see the Red Hot Chilli Pipers (that's PIPERS, people, not Peppers) twice, done copious stereophotography, and I'm sure I've been doing other things but it's late!That sounds like drugs really. "She's taken copious amounts of stereophotographs, Sir. She's lost to the

In which film gets processed, toasties get eaten, and I join a gym...

2011-07-12T22:19:00.004+12:00

Well, the title says it all.In the quest for re-motivation, I have been told that exercise promotes such feelings, ergo, I finally signed up for membership to a 24 hour place. (given that the times I am likely to want to exercise, for gods know what reason, are not terribly conventional.I also ate of the toasties of cheesiness, enjoyed the company of friends most excellent, and had some slide

2011-07-08T22:56:00.002+12:00

OMG dinosaur *waves hands manically like a four year old*So yes. I went to see the big ol' animatronic dinosaur event (Walking with Dinosaurs) - and verily it was fun and full of big animatronic beasties who looked pretty darned good, and went RAAAAAR.I took along the vintage stereocamera as well, although the roll of film within has misbehaved badly, and I'll need the assistance of a lab to

Things conventional

2011-06-06T01:34:00.003+12:00

Had a Spleeeendid time at ConText, many fine folk to listen to and talk with.This was a good event to refire some much jaded creative nerves.Featured Catherine Asaro and Donald Wolcott as the international guest speakers/performers, and the discussion panels were lively and interesting.I shall check it out next year, and hope to see some of the faces I met, again.

My proposal for the Wellywood sign.

2011-05-25T11:38:00.001+12:00

Given that I had some stupid dream the other night where there was a sign building competition on the proposed site, and it was won by a coffee stand...This is what I was trying to put up, in my dreams.

Intellectual - Properly!

2011-05-21T15:21:00.003+12:00

Ahhhh the joys of helping Grandma comprehend the interwebs. Her mental imagery of the goings-on in cyberspace is one I continue to treasure.She is infuriated by the men and/or corporations who steal her broadband.We've been trying to move her past the dial up modem stage - although in its defence it is being far more reliable than the bandwidth guzzling mobile stick!) Problem appears to be with

Ode to a "Massage Chair"

2011-05-08T13:26:00.001+12:00

Mighty Mighty Massage Chair.How silly I look and feelNot unlike a jello hampsterIn a fast vibrating wheel.(written at Dunedin airport whilst waiting for a connecting bus)On the way to Grandmother's house. Hurrah!

YAAAAAY!

2011-04-17T02:04:00.000+12:00

Lordy, what a whinging git I've been in these last few posts!The latest contract seems to be over now... seems to... I'll believe it when the movie's out, just to be certain.On the "things of oddness" front, I found some slides on the ground on my way into work recently. Me being me, I went "Oo! Slides! I wonder what they're of..."Lo and behold, it turned out to be of one Heath Ledger! (nothing

waste

2011-03-29T05:01:00.000+13:00

What I should also mention, is that nearly 4 weeks of very hard work got flushed down the toilet.A couple of posts back, I was hopped up on energy drinks, because I'd just worked until about 4 in the morning to meet yet another (as it turned out, pointless) morning deadline.The powers that be have asked for the (virtual) cameras to be revisited. They've decided it's necessary.(This is something

I r fruzen

2011-03-29T03:40:00.000+13:00

It was so cold today in the workroom, that not only have the polarbears moved into the renderfarm room, but penguins have shifted under the work desks.I know the sun is shining outside, and we've barely hit autumn, so this "airconditioning"* is just a bit harsh, no?This contract - at this point, can only be improved by doing everything with a pencil, and a lump of plasticine. What a silly

Arggfurble

2011-03-24T03:55:00.000+13:00

That's right.The noise you make at some interminable hour of the morning , still hopped up on the drinks of "energy".Still. Soon .. soon this project will be put to bed. And then, so may I find my own!This is promising.Brought a bunch of monarch chrysalises on a (well decimated!) potplant, in to work. It's been butterfly madness, and I think it's been entertaining for my colleagues too.Yesterday

Ranty rant in the coldsweat-shop

2011-03-05T17:21:00.000+13:00

Well, the room I work in is quite cold. (Must protect precious computers from overheating!) and the polarbears have moved right on in to the area with the renderfarm. Or perhaps penguins (they're geographically closer afterall.) How ironic, to go to work in summer, armed with a jacket for warmth!Selfpitying to follow:Shifts at work have been ranging from a standard 8, up to to 20 hours, with an

2011-02-01T19:01:00.000+13:00

Boy.It's been a whirlwind of birth, death, marriage, and birthdays these past couple of months.I lost my remaining grandpa (a lovely euphemism that. Where did I put him?) at the end of December. It was sudden, and we were all thrown for a bit of a loop.And now I have returned from staying with my grandma, who turned 90. She's still brighter than I am , by a long shot! (this is not a difficult

2011-02-01T18:55:00.000+13:00

I wonder if this will make it in before January becomes February?

On 3D

2010-12-18T02:17:00.000+13:00

The thing about viewing movies "in 3D!!!" is that the human eye gets used to it. Pretty fast.Two movies viewed recently - Narnia, and Tron:Legacy (no spoilers, it is safe to continue).Of the two, Tron works better with the medium, thanks in part to the digital nature/background of a large portion of the movie.I really do think that the most that 3D adds to a film is a little "ambience", and that,

Persian Cat Demo

2010-11-05T16:36:00.000+13:00

So yes, I saw the above title on a board outside a petshop.I know, it's probably about grooming or something, but I kept thinking "How does one demonstrate a Persian Cat?"I mean, it's not like a vacumn-cleaner.Maybe it's like some demolition derby - with cats.Or perhaps if someone needs something trashed, there are Persian Cats for hire.I think it's almost up there with the sign so poorly

Mental Fuppery

2010-10-27T01:42:00.000+13:00

Ever had those times where work bores int0 your brain so much that it starts weaving insidiously into your sleep patterns? (Especially that time where you're just surfacing in the morning!)In my case, I've been doing a lot of painstaking match movement with a digital figure, overlaid on a person in the film footage, for months now - and it's WEARING INTO MY BRAIN!I woke up one time with my arm

Slugs, Friends and Mental acupuncture!

2010-08-14T02:21:00.000+12:00

Righto! Well. First the slugs. I think it's just one slug really. But it's left a dirty great trail wiggling around my living room floor. and is now lurking somewhere, brooding in slimey grey menace.For all the evidence of its journey across the seas of dark green carpet, it has vanished like a ship in the night.I have just returned home from visiting N&K, two wonderful friends who are great for

Cup of enigma!

2010-07-23T03:02:00.000+12:00

Dear Man of tortured conscience who walked into Babushka holding the handle-bereft Crown Lynn yellow teacup, may you find the replacement you seek!Your plight was endearing.Regards, the Crown Lynn green teacup.;)

Compartments

2010-06-24T23:28:00.000+12:00

I am somewhere in here. *taps head*It's late at night, and the grandmother has gone to bed.Staying for a while at her place is one of my favourite things.She'll be 90 next year.I've been mulling over the passage of time. Oddly, it doesn't make me feel any deeper or smarter. Perhaps not so odd after all. ;)Suffice to say, given the gap in my blogging, I have not been at work for a few weeks - v.

More WHAM, less Boing.

2010-05-02T11:24:00.000+12:00

As the post-title says.This note was the latest one received.*places order for 80's popgroup*Personally I preferred a-ha. Would you not like some A-ha! Instead of Wham or Boing.As these fine folk said (Flight of the Conchords) - be more constructive with your feedback... please.Besides, it's not THAT Boing...Not really. (for an invisible blastwave..)I thought people liked a bit of boing?I like

The Right to Shear Arms...

2010-04-29T01:32:00.000+12:00

How to CG a severed arm effect on a live-action TV series... censored to Disney standards.(Initial instruction:)"Add the stump.. it can be dark red but not see bone etc."Duly, said effect is done vis-a-vis tracking a "cross-section" to a certain point on the footage of the actor's real arm, and rotoscoping the rest of the arm out. (This section was assembled in photoshop out of the most

High Tea at the Domain

2010-04-29T00:53:00.001+12:00

(Re. this weekend past - because it has been a busy few days!)On Saturday, received a txt on the "picnic on Sunday, 11am, potluck free-for-all" vein. I toodled back to bed (as the text arrived in that timezone called "too early for me to get up just yet") and pondered over what to bring.I thought about associations with One Tree Hill (and the Domain in which it lies), particularly the tea-shop

Family News Shaped Item

2010-04-29T00:33:00.000+12:00

Grandpa is in the hospital. I'd been trying to get in touch with him for the past three days, and then it turned out my Mum, and one of his friends, had also been trying to do so likewise.So we called the retirement village where he lives, and it transpired he'd fallen over sometime (on Sunday? Details were unclear) and was admitted to the hospital on the Monday.So they're keeping him in for

Like an Imperial Cruiser Batman Pterodactyl...

2010-04-15T23:18:00.000+12:00

So the note comes in from our gloriously poetic dictator of effects.He does not want to see a flying monkey. (Never mind that the creature is a hominid with a tail and wings). I am to "feel" the threat of the aforementioned combination of an Imperial Cruiser, Batman, Teradactyl (sic), Condor thingy and convey this feeling thusly in my animation.Of course, "slower please, with less wing flap"

The Joy of Potatos

2010-04-08T23:28:00.000+12:00

Mashed with butter and salt, a dash of milk for extra smoothness, with minty peas and brown onion gravy, and a little meat to taste.I love mashed potatos with peas and gravy.It's the food equivalent of "Ommmmmmm" (and that other hit single "Ommmm" by some other monks.)Simple is good.Also, Blogger, please never go the way of Facespacejournalbook and all the other cluttered things out there. I hate

Missed.. again!

2010-04-08T19:49:00.000+12:00

The first episode of the second season of Legend of the Seeker just screened here in NZ. And as with both cast/crew screenings before, I missed yet again the first seven minutes!So I've STILL never seen all the eating hall sequence (my animation work) in the final edit. *facepalm!*Arr well...Wrap party was last week. Pleased to see Rob T. there though - it's been well over a year - two even!

Where the Weekends are.

2010-03-22T00:46:00.000+13:00

They drift by so swiftly, and work begins again so soon!Three monarch butterflies have flitted from the house - uncooperative in my geekish desire to film them emerging from their chrysalises. "look behind you" - "oh! we're out"*There's something kinda cool though about having one perch on your fingertips, waiting for the moment to fly away.I'd like to model a caterpillar. In that magical time

Om, Nom, Nom, Nom, Num, and Nim.

2010-03-04T17:54:00.000+13:00

So yes, caterpillar madness, and a potential tragedy - whereupon Om's chrysalis support (thanks to the tiny brain that thought attaching it to a tasty tasty plant-top leaf was a good idea...) has been eaten right off the plant. I found the chrysalis on the ground. It seemed to survive the metre fall, but then I dropped it from the tweezers, when trying to rescue it. A tiny chip seems to have

Om, Nom, Nom and Nom.

2010-02-25T00:44:00.000+13:00

The swan plant has four caterpillars. One large one (dubbed Om) and three small ones - Nom, Nom, and Nom respectively.Also, I would like to report that I have managed to figure out how to make risotto shaped items.(salmon, spinach, onion, pumpkin. Yum!)Work-front stuff features the joys of slow-wiggling vines, and cloth streamers that fly through the air, trailing behind themselves. It would be

Stabbing Breastward

2010-02-18T15:48:00.000+13:00

Ahhh the joys of hand-tracking.Hand tracking, for the non-effects orientated among us, is the art of moving something CG in a 3D programme on a frame-by-frame basis, so that it appears "fixed" to the live action model in the footage.Because one can't really throw a knife at an actor, without there being a few minor issues in the real life... ;)The bosomosity of this lady however, to whom I must

Death and Destruction.

2010-01-18T13:06:00.000+13:00

Start of another week, throwing folk off things, and tearing up the world (how often that happens, and nobody feels a thing!).Listening to Life of Brian, watching the farm of rendering, typing this.Oo yes - thats right! Must make a birthday card for the Grandma..."Hello Grandma, it's me. Yes yes, I apologise for the disturbance of the world's surface. The green smog will pass. And don't mind the

10 years oy vey...

2010-01-15T00:25:00.000+13:00

So it's been ten years now since I started working with the folk I currently still seem to be working with. On a contractual basis... still here.That's a good thing - stable income is good.Every so often I get the complacency police in my mind. They say "yes, it's good and stable and all, but there's not been all that much animation in it, has there?"I'm really not quite sure what to do in such

Here is the Title!!

2010-01-06T09:06:00.000+13:00

Finally. Found that bloody setting and reactivated it.So. New Year - excellent time up at N & K1's, listening to quadrophonic morepork at night.Glad that not all the tadpoles in their tiny ex-dam pond have made it to frog-hood yet, or it would have been deafenabubble.Once more I am fruitlessly drafting up variants on the four-legged puppet theme.There's just something in me that would love to be

2010-01-06T08:58:00.001+13:00

Just finished reading the first of the Michael Palin Diaries (the Python Years). Now itching to read the next, but scowling at the price of the new book because I'm a stinge! *kicks library - hurry up!*I enjoyed it a lot. (and didn't know that he'd endeavoured since his late 20's to keep a diary every day!) Also ironic, seeing as I bought one for myself last year, to start this year with.However

2009-12-24T17:16:00.000+13:00

Oooooh deep and meaningful meaningfulness and recollective thoughs.Right. Now that's out of the way, it seems I've got the privilege of hosting the family Christmas this year. Haphazard motley of family that it is! Everyone is getting plants, more-or-less.Highlights of this year?Making a knife with forge, anvil, etc.Seeing the Grandma again.Taking the puppet along to meet folk who actually make

2009-12-21T00:17:00.000+13:00

So, Avatar. Yes, see it. In 3D.Damn you James Cameron, you'll probably make my job several times harder, and harder again!Still. It looks pretty, and the story's a good ol' straightforward tail. Or tale.Rarwrrr...And see it in 3D.Can I has RL avatar nao pls?

2009-12-13T00:52:00.000+13:00

Mead!Friends Nich and K turned up today, and after some random conversation whereby it transpired that I still had a couple of large pots of honey and a mead kit stashed away unused for years... well, now I have two and a half large glass jars of the stuff beginning to brew under my art desk!We're dubbing it "Three Bears" on account of the disparity of filling in the vessels >.<

2009-12-07T18:47:00.000+13:00

Back to work, you lazy bum!Yep.I am back. Back again.And tentatively learning how to nuke things. And arranging jellybeans (which is far more pleasant).Nuke being a compositing programme, and jellybeans being CG ones, for a little documentary.Work seems relaxed (certainly compared to the point at which I left to take a break, and apparantly I missed the "really" crazy stuff. For which I am truly

2009-12-03T22:28:00.000+13:00

Well if November was the month of drawing, December seems to be the month of cooking. Currently in the oven is the second attempt at Delicious Lemon Pudding (the first was indeed delicious but I shared it. So I have to make sure... right? ;D )For those of a dessert shaped nature, the recipe is as follows:1 cup Sugar (I used the organicky version rather than the pure white stuff)1 tbsp Butter (or

2009-11-26T23:46:00.000+13:00

Netritus...We hates it!But November has kidnapped me over to Livejournal for the purpose of a drawing daily exercise.(http://metheglin.livejournal.com) - Nothing special, nothing fancy, just a challenge to myself. :)I hate all this twitter blogger journal space fluffer (there should be one called fluffer, no?) myspacebookfacepage bollocks. Only because I can barely manage ONE place of being!It's

2009-10-29T15:58:00.000+13:00

And another whole month...Has nearly ended.My head has just about recovered from the joys of a lot of work in a short space of time, and can I have a "Hell Yeah!" for this sacred thing that is "time off" ? I think I can!The taxes have duly been done and filed, the illustration competition entered unto, and the Grandfather has finally decided to stop driving.The latter is somewhat sad, but the

2009-09-22T14:37:00.000+12:00

Hooray for portable modems!Yes. For the first time in years I can access the net at work....Not that there's much time! Lots of animating to do for the first ep. of Seeker, thank the gods I'm not doing all of it, but it sure feels that way >.

2009-05-14T12:27:00.002+12:00

This past weekend was the weekend of the NZ 48 hours film-making competition - I pitched in to help with the team of a friend :) - we drew musical...I've yet to see the end result, so looking forward to that this coming weekend.At the same time, my sister was having multiple panic attacks - not so much fun.She accidentally poisoned herself a couple of months ago when she got some de-fleaing

2009-03-23T19:58:00.000+13:00

New stereographs acquired! (Or rather, old stereographs acquired.)And another "viewer", this one with the wire support for the cards. 'Tis made of wood.(Wooden lenses :D ? Hmm...)Subjects range from fancy French hotel dining room, to somewhere in Ireland, to the botanical gardens in Dunedin (NZ), to a couple of spiffing young chaps posing on a bridge in laconic fashion.Other subjects as well, it

2009-03-21T00:45:00.000+13:00

What luck! Today, I had a hunch that I should go to a small out of the way antiquey type shop on the quest for brass cogs, for Nich's birthday (him being very much into Steam-punky things).Whilst mulling over a couple of choice pieces of dysfunctional clockery, I spied a pair of farrier's tongs, and seized them at once. (Nich also does blacksmithing).They went down well.:)BUT, also while I was

2009-03-20T00:50:00.000+13:00

Woohoo! Alas my seriously neglected blog!Ahwell.Only 8 or 9 guesses before I managed to hit my email and my password AT THE SAME TIME!So, back from the Viva La Vida Coldplay concert (thursday, Auckland) - FUN.Funfunfunfunfun.And why music makes the world seem better sometimes.I have a t-shirt and tour poster, not that I need more sentimental detritus in my life, but it was such an awesome and win

2008-10-10T05:36:00.000+13:00

So it's half past five in the a.m., and my ability to sleep seems to be PANTS! Too much brain-chatter (you know, when all those niggles and worries - usually about circumstances beyond one's control, (and even more annoyingly, OTHER folk's circumstances!) demand the hugest slice of attention pie!Hooray for Friday coming up, I'll get through the work day somehow... :pI have a little place I try to

2008-09-20T03:42:00.000+12:00

I freely admit it. I am a techno-luddite - I am okay with technology, but I''ll cling to the familiar and quail inwardly at having to deal with the new. (and it only took me two attempts to remember my password for this little corner of my netritus, so yay me, already!)What has happened then since the last post? Well, my Nana died. This is the one who had dementia. It prompted some weird and

2008-07-20T03:32:00.000+12:00

*Cuts through swathes of email addresses and oft-forgotten passwords, to struggle into the harbour of my own blog*Consolidation. Seriously, I've so much digital junk, that if my computer life was a room, and the information was all on bits of paper, I'd be squashed beneath it, bleeding from a thousand and one tiny papercuts.AND I'm not one of the world's more net-present folk! Yarrrrr.It's

2008-05-22T02:39:00.000+12:00

Right. New post.Went to the readings of Metonymy '08 this evening. Brain too tired to think right now, but it is good to be out and about!Currently reading Latro in the Mist by Gene Wolfe. I'm enjoying it, and the bed is nicely warmed.Mmm. Bed.I wonder if I'll make another post before the end of 2008?(Looking at my track record of the past 2 years!!)The bed calls me from the bedroom, inviting me

2007-03-07T02:06:00.000+13:00

Good grief.Nearly a year since I last posted on this!I note that there is dysfunction in my archives, perhaps that is all for the good.Life at present involves waiting to see how the application for funding goes, vis a vis a small book project. And still working (albeit in a more part time facility) on those Rangers of Power. Quelle joi.No animation for quite a while.Finally got some stuff

2006-03-20T00:21:00.000+12:00

Hi Tim, as per request, an updated entry to this blog! (I wasn't aware I'd let it lapse for quite so long...)Sadly, I was not accepted onto that MFA course I told you about, ergo the scholarship opportunity is pretty much sunk for this year. Was a bit bummed out about that, but have recovered sufficiently to think that at least I'll be able to afford a decent computer (this laptop is still

2005-10-29T00:59:00.000+13:00

Today I snuck up to the door of a friend's house with my (recently arrived) didjeridu, and announced my arrival in an unconventional manner. Most people prefer to use the doorbell, I'm told - but no! Not me.BrrRRRROOOwwwwoggagwoggaoggabrrrrrprrrbrrr....(That, for the hard-of-reading, was an approximation of my didjeridu playing skills, which are short and not brilliant! I wonder what that would

2005-09-20T20:47:00.000+12:00

So, hiding out at my Grandmother's house for a week or so!Impromptu snow has been falling (which necessitates me heading out into it at nighttime, armed with my stereocamera, and with the assistance of "nearly-cousin" Peter armed with the flash on his digital camera, attempting to photograph snowfall in 3D. How do you spend your evenings? :D

2005-09-05T12:52:00.000+12:00

Hello me darlin's.Piwakawaka is the Maori word for Fantail. It's been preying on my mind since this morning, when I saw one of the wee chaps darting about in the back yard.I would also like to say that in the forthcoming NZ elections, I will be voting for Labour. So if you suffer from peer pressure, I am your peer, and I am pressuring you!I don't like the policies (or the politicking) of most of

2005-08-11T12:54:00.000+12:00

The Monkey Experiment.There's something about factors of randomness, and the possibility (even though remote) of monkeys being able to type a Shakespearian play quite by accident.Well, I figure that I'm pretty advanced for a monkey - I've managed to lose most of the body hair (by some careless means no doubt), even though I still like drinking tea with lots of sugar.So...dNKxajwr djmsx,mt 4;lyzi;

2005-07-31T22:42:00.000+12:00

SUDOKU...consider me addicted. Confounded infuriating logic puzzles - dagnabbity!Can't... stay... away.Otherwise, I am in the middle of alternating between finishing off reading the Kushiel's Legacy series by Jacqueline Carey, waiting to see what the new Robin Hobb one is like, and illustrating in between it all. That is, when I am not at work doing some particularly pedantic rotoscoping (my

2005-07-27T09:49:00.000+12:00

So, here I am another year older!The occasion was celebrated in grand style with a troop of us (sounds like monkeys, no?), heading out of town to a hot pools bathing place. (Waiwera)We all behaved impeccably like adults, if one counts making a big whirlpool in the circular pool, and then proceeding to play "tag" with much shrieking and splashing, as being appropriate "grown-up" behaviour. Heck, I

2005-07-21T22:51:00.000+12:00

Seeing as I should have enough bandwidth for a little bit...Intergalactic Space Penguins would like to present their moving rendition of the fairytale:Bodil & the Magic Cat.(right-click, save as...)It's about 23.4 Mb.Also - if you haven't got one installed among your viewing motley already - you'll need a recent "divx" codec (5.0.3 or above) in order to watch the clip. Available here... HEREA

2005-07-09T02:24:00.000+12:00

Hello...So I was wonderin' - what do you do with your spare time?Spent today skiving off work (hey, I'm self-employed, so I can growl at myself!), to catch films in the local "international film festival" that started today.Double Dare - (doco) mostly centred around the life and work of Jeannie Epper (stuntwoman who actioned "Wonder Woman") and Zoë Bell (stuntwoman for Xena). Really good doco,

2005-06-03T21:14:00.000+12:00

ToooooofuuuuuuuuuuTofu tofu tofu tofutofutofu!Plain, marinated in a mix of ginger,garlic, honey and soy, then lightly cookedin a frypan with some sliced musrooms. Mmmm!(It's been my addictee food of the past couple of weeks, along with a particular brand of milky "iced coffee".Going home to eat some more now!:D

2005-06-01T01:26:00.000+12:00

I woke up this morning with the word "Cowvlar" on my mind. Kevlar and Cows? WTF would cows be wanting with that?And why would I wake up with that thought on my mind? All I wanted was a simple solution to the problems of humanity.Had another bout of ant massacre guilt this afternoon.Sometimes I wonder if this is how temptation works - one's Deity (or "unknown causality") accidentally leaves the

2005-05-30T00:42:00.000+12:00

Arrgle. I'm in here somewhere.One of those days where things don't quite go right, where I'd rather not be "cheered up", just because I'm feeling a bit mellow and washed out. It doesn't mean I'm unhappy, okaaaaaaay? :) And my windscreen wipers also decided to uncouple themselves from the mechanism that drives them. This, in Auckland, rainiest city in the world (sometimes), is not a particularly

2005-05-03T00:14:00.000+12:00

Bon freakin' jour to you!Could this be a blog of rampant cynicism? Nah. Too apathetic for that right now.I think I've been blooging too much in a different place, hence the sad neglect you see before you now.Alas, poor blog.Today was "pet a small grey cat" day. Box checked, mission accomplished. That I name it "Pet a Small Grey Cat" day, after the petting of a small grey cat, is entirely

2005-03-08T03:49:00.000+13:00

"...And so I went to see the performance a third time!"Ah, farewell SOMA! (And please come back again...)What I particularly enjoyed with "Cabaret Décadanse", as I have said before, was seeing two (sometimes even all three!), puppeteers, pouring their energy into one vessel, where the combined concentration drew forth a performance from the puppet that somehow seemed to happen on its own. I guess

2005-03-04T12:07:00.000+13:00

Well, the AK05 (Auckland performing arts festival) is underway, and thus far I have seen two acts (and one of them, twice!)The Bangarra dance company, in their performance of "Bush". I liked the "animalistic" movements, and the old lady character that appeared throughout.But now, I will unashamedly rave about how much I enjoyed SOMA's Cabaret Décadanse.(This was the one I have been to see twice.

2005-01-07T10:29:00.000+13:00

Okay loooosers, get back to work. The New Year has started to tarnish, and pretty soon you'll sink back into the fetid mire of "Why am I doing this?" (But you'll probably keep doing it anyway.) I too am at work again (did I ever leave? I'm not entirely sure that I did), but I am suffused with the radiant glow of jovial cynicism and tight deadlines that is my lot. I need a deadline in a larger

2004-12-31T11:03:00.000+13:00

So I wrote this last night, on reflection about the perils of last minute Christmas shopping, something I endeavour to avoid at all costs! I guess it could still be called The Night Before Christmas... *Ahem....* 'Twas the night before shopping and all through the Mall Not a pricetag was dropping, no, not at all. The tinsel was hung in the window with care In the hopes that small children soon

2004-12-21T23:00:00.000+13:00

Did you know? ... Wearing a penguin suit to a paintball game will make you a bit of a "target". And... Did you know? ... ... That bruises can sometimes be quite big, painful and numerous? Will endeavour to show pictures at some stage. Did you know? ... that I got a rose this month? Lucky me! I bet you didn't know ... that it was NOT one that I'd bought for myself! Nooo! Intrigue and suspicion

2004-11-26T20:55:00.000+13:00

One of my workmates was browsing the net for current movies on locally. In N.Z., "The Incredibles" is not screening until Dec. 26th!! Outrage!! Horreur!! Three Exclamation Marks!!! Ah well. Whilst looking over his shoulder, I misread one of the titles at the distance I was standing - I subliminally thought: "Indiana Jones and the Edge of Reason!" Wow! How did they sneak that one to completion

2004-11-20T18:19:00.000+13:00

There is something awfully satisfying and comical about chasing a hapless naked man around a field, with an awfully big sword, yelling at the top of one's lungs. Especially when one is a female. ;) It was the end time of the annual "Highland Games" in Auckland, and there was a bunch of young men sitting around, daring each other to streak across the field where the events had been held. Most of

2004-11-18T01:06:00.000+13:00

Day Three of the Addiction to French Toast. There must be a knack for making it the way I remember it tasting from my childhood, but what that could be, I just don't know! Wheatmeal bread slices dipped in a mixture of egg, milk, mustard, salt & pepper, and quickly fried, is the current situation. It's close. I am hopeful that substituting butter for the olive-spready margarine whatchamacallit

2004-11-01T22:37:00.000+13:00

This evening, the author Terry Pratchett gave a talk at the Carlton Hotel, and graciously managed to sign his way through almost all who attended, afterwards. It was entertaining, and nice in a bizarre way, in that everyone in the room knew about the characters of Terry's universe (discoverse?), so it was as if one person (Terry) was telling further tales of mutual friends to us all. But with

2004-10-28T18:22:00.000+13:00

So, if the polls are so close, why don't they divide America in half, and give half to each main candidate? Then eeeeeverybody be happy! Hmm. It is interesting to watch the machinations from a different country, but still an unsettling thing. Me? Well, I don't think I'd vote Bush, if I had the choice. I think Greg the Bunny would be my pick. (And hey, has that show been canned? I hope not!! Greg

2004-10-28T18:20:00.000+13:00

Ahh, sweet Saint Ella of the Divine Voice (for she is a saint to me), won't you sing a man into being for me? I have been singing along to your voice for a while now, and whilst being a most romantic voice (yours, not mine!), he is still as elusive as that foggy day in London town. But there will always be your voice, Ella, and for now, daydreams will simply have to do. It's not all that

2004-10-17T18:36:00.000+13:00

Have been enjoying time with my Grandma in the rural NZ town of Gore. (Yes, "Gore".) It has been pleasant, and not bloody in the slightest. We have been imbibing copious amounts of "Lady Grey" tea (nicer than Earl Grey, we think!), drinking wine with every tasty meal, talking late into the night, and taxing our brains with cryptic crossword puzzles, among other things. 1-across: "It is true,

2004-10-05T01:33:00.000+13:00

So I am getting my back seen to (having wrenched it on the weekend), by Oleg the cool Latvian osteo/chiro/deep tissue massage genius, and we were talking about martial arts. Turns out that when he was a younger lad in his Latvian days, it was forbidden to learn Karate in Latvia, by the government of the time. (I am assuming this meant the Soviet one.) So he and several of his buddies would sneak

2004-10-04T23:15:00.000+13:00

Achievements of today: Successfully belched "Elvis Lives". My Flat and I call it a draw in the battle for tidiness. Caught up with friends, and have just finished an enjoying conversation along the "coincidences and remembering people one has known, who have since moved on, and esoteric beliefs", sort of line. Rediscovered a cosy old jumper, which I am currently wearing. I think it was pleased to

2004-10-01T20:40:00.000+12:00

The stereoslides turned out great! A shame the same cannot be said for the scanning of them... ah well! Save another couple of grand, and I might even be able to afford a decent slide scanner myself. As it is, heeeeeere's ANDY! Heh. :) The last achievement for today, besides posting this, was the satisfaction of making and eating cheese toasties. And now I shall go to bed. Goodnight!

2004-09-28T12:15:00.000+12:00

Weekend #2 in Wellington, this time for the Armageddon Pop-Culture expo. Spent a goodly portion of the time mincing about in the red-velvet dress of doom, and giving a brief sword-history run-down to small children. A particularly moppetish three year old told me in a serious tone that I "sound like a man". Heh! Shook hands with Andy Serkis and John Rhys Davis, both of whom are lovely people.

2004-09-23T01:12:00.000+12:00

Drove back up to Auckland from Wellington yesterday - about 9 hours as the crow drives.. (including the many times I had to pull the car over to the side of the road to photograph this or that.) Desert Roat brilliantly clear. (For a moment I'm imagining you read this as "Dessert road, imagining a highway festooned with all manner of puddings. Yum! I digress.) The Desert Road in New Zealand is a

2004-09-12T22:33:00.000+12:00

In the roundabout way of conversations... Nich - "I believe the whirligig was also a medieval torture device like a metal cage, in which the victim was spun until they were violently horribly ill" Me - "That sounds like a ride people would pay good money for, these days." It did lead to me wondering what the Spanish Inquisition could have done with a rollercoaster! *winch winch winch* "This is

2004-09-10T02:09:00.000+12:00

Finally! I got a copy of "Teach yourself Icelandic" - one of those CD + book combination things. Why Icelandic? I figured learning Icelandic would be the most sensible thing to do as the language most closely approximates the Old Norse writing of some of the eddas (sagas) that I wish I could read! Also it would help me out with Blogiþrótta, as I suspect poor Beorn wishes I knew Old Norse better.

2004-09-09T02:08:00.000+12:00

Recently finished reading a little book called Love's Work, by Gillian Rose. The writing is lovely, and her depictions are revealing. One of her "imps" (as she called them), was dyslexia, and in having to work harder with words, it seemed to me as if she had more appreciation of their sheer range of meaning, than most of us. She used them bloody well, too. Sadly, she died, not long after the

2004-08-30T18:07:00.000+12:00

Listening to a CD in a store, is occasionally rendered difficult by Karaoke types who are unaware that they are singing quite loudly to whatever it is that they are listening to, on the headphones "next door". I am not sure what it was, as the chap seemed to only know the chorus, and, (unless the tune itself was particularly tuneless), there was a larger than "acceptable" number of keyless notes

2004-08-13T21:40:00.000+12:00

I think it's time I contemplated getting rid of the yellow colour scheme around this place. The pixels are fading in the sun. And I know if I remove that gif, there'll be a darker square of yellow behind it, to show me just how long it's been up there. No, the gif can stay - I've grown accustomed to its face. :) ***** The gymnasium that I have begun attending (yes, *someone's* hit their

2004-08-13T12:20:00.000+12:00

I feel the weight of bluescreen oppression!! Naturally this provokes me to rebel in my own way. Had a bit of fun with one of Beatallica's songs - "I want To Choke your Band", in an animated form! Go here, if you want to checky checky this out. ;)

2004-08-08T03:22:00.000+12:00

So... Hellboy... (no spoilers) Rocks!! Hooray! Ron Perlman is great, indeed, all of the actors were excellent. It is a really comfortable movie to watch. It is not another Spiderman - I prefer it to Spiderman. If Spiderman is a big commercial hamburger restaurant chain, then Hellboy is a locally run burger joint that "makes really good burgers". (Satisfying ones!) Although there are effects (

2004-08-07T18:55:00.000+12:00

Pleased with myself for doing a bit of animation, in a fit of pique at having not done anything for a while! It's very short, has no sound, and may not be worth the download time, but heck, I did it, and here's a link to the page where it can be downlud (like downloaded, only much more subtle and meaningful!). "LINK" ! And here's a picture of the little guy. Ain't he cute? Awwww! - or as others

2004-08-05T02:12:00.000+12:00

Grrrr! Tax! I tell ya, I wanted to bite some of the paper that I couldn't find earlier this evening. I wanted to rend all those accounts from paper limb to paper limb. Growl! Gnash! Bite! Savage! Grr Grr Grr! Dammit, now that it's over and done, I'm going to perform a visual pun. I'd like to call it: "Tax Dodging" (...gets up, skips over and dances lightly between all the papers littering the

2004-08-04T18:17:00.000+12:00

I need to develop a device. The "Gilliomancy" device, by means of which, I shall divine the course of my life by the works of Terry Gilliam. Watched "Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas" a couple of nights back, and realised how uncannily the tone of the piece reflected how I feel in that awful time of post wake-up, pre arrival-at-work, state. (90% of it whilst I'm still in bed, and not attempting to

2004-08-02T19:10:00.000+12:00

And now.... Dr R. Liang's guide to successful swooning for beginners. Step 1. Facing in the direction of your choice, bend slowly at the knees. Step 2. As you bend your knees, swivel your body 90 degrees to the right (or to the left, if you are left handed, or just feeling contrary.) Step 3. Bring your left kneee to rest on the floor (or your right knee, if you have turned to the left). Step 4.

2004-07-26T02:06:00.000+12:00

The rest of the weekend... The time of year, indeed, the summation of my years, has rolled around, and now it is time for me to truly act half my age, and be sixteen all over again. Oh the angst! Oh the pain! Oh the lovely man who I glanced at but once, and we are surely going to get together although he knows it not... and it didn't happen, now I cry myself to sleep every night and write in

2004-07-26T01:41:00.000+12:00

The weekend! So. First out the gate - a brief review of "I, Robot" - better than I had expected - one case where the trailer nearly made me not go and see it, yet on being dragged along by a group of friends, I was glad I went. Will Smith is a good actor. And the movie was enjoyable. I liked it a lot more than last week's "Arthur" flick! - The lead actor in that one just wasn't "Arthur" for me

2004-07-23T12:41:00.000+12:00

Hello hello hello. So have you ever considered how well the two musical classics "Stand By Me" and "Guantanamera" go together? Consider no longer. "Guantanabyme" ...rightclick, save as. (about 2.9Mb) I love mucking about with music. It's not pretty, but it sure is fun. For those of you who missed the previous entry, where I did similar stuff, click here. Insane!!

2004-07-21T12:39:00.000+12:00

Who put the "bend" in the bendy straw? *** "Les Triplettes de Belleville" (The Triplets of Belleville) What a great film! Whether you are an animator, or not, you should go and see it. It is a beautiful example of animation as it is drawn, with a judicious sprinkling of 3D animation where appropriate. It also doesn't matter what language you speak - the story tells itself visually.

2004-07-08T20:46:00.000+12:00

I have considered myself extremely fortunate to have had all four grandparents in my life, for as long as I have known them (nearly 32 years). Today, as inevitably such things must happen, I have lost the first one. My father's father, whose health has been waning slowly over the past five years, took a steeper decline, not long after the 60th wedding anniversary of last year. For the past few

2004-07-06T23:59:00.000+12:00

The Dead Cat. (topic a little morbid) A friend had just left, when a moment later there was a knock on the door. I thought she'd forgotten something, but it turned out that she'd found a dead cat in the middle of the road just outside my place. I went out and had a look, and I think it was the black tomcat (I'm pretty sure it was a tom), that used to hassle some of the other cats hereabouts.