Oh lord, what fools we mortals be...

[liadnan]

Ho hum.

Accomplished precisely two things this weekend: a hangover and a significant improvement in the cesspit into which my flat had been descending.

Had I been writing this on Sunday evening I would also be able to say I had accomplished the rebirth of my laptop. Unfortunately, shortly after doing so I did something so abysmally stupid that I shudder to think about it, and the end result is that the bastard machine has had to go in for repairs anyway. Significantly more cheaply than originally quoted though: thank something for small mercies. In the meantime I am reduced to borrowing one of the clerks' machines on which to work when there's one free, for the next couple of days. Bugger.

Had there been a Midsomer Murders on last night I wouldn't have been pissing about on the machine while logged in as root and my life would be improved beyond measure. Or possibly somewhat, anyway. So I blame the ITV schedulers. And Janet Jackson, obviously.

***

Last week's case did make it into The Times... I had rather hoped that when a case of mine appeared there it would be in the Law Reports, for arguing a novel and interesting point of law, not in the news section.

***

Still, there are good things in life. They include comp. tickets to the pre-Raphaelite landscapes exhibition for tonight, and a copy of Joan Aiken's penultimate novel. They don't seem to include free sex, free intoxication or free holidays somewhere hot, but I'm sure that's only a matter of time.

***

I just re-read Barry Unsworth's Songs of the Kings and Dan Simmons' Ilium in quick succession. Though both are very good books I don't advise it: I managed to rather confuse myself on which book was which. I'm quite keen to see the Troy film, though I'm not sure Brad Pitt is really going to cut it as Achilles and I forsee another dose of Clash of the Titans/Jason and the Argonauts style lunacy. (I'm pretty sure Simmons references those films in Ilium, by the way.)

Comments

[clanwilliam.livejournal.com]

Come and see Troy with me. I suspect it'll take several drinks afterwards and frankly, I want to see it with an erudite bunch. If we're feeling really evil, we can invite Olympia down to critque it as well...

BTW, have you RSVP'd?

[liadnan]

Troy: sure.
RSVP: No. I am rubbish. The Reply is an enthusiastic yes and the card has been lodged in my notebook with other Important Things To Do since it arrived. I have no excuse and if I behaved like this in my professional life I would expect a negligence action. If I loan you the Aiken would it make up for it?

[clanwilliam.livejournal.com]

I'll only forgive you if you come to my hen night as well... no, not as the stripper.

[liadnan]

All done in the best possible taste, I'm sure.

Hmm. I think I might stick out at a hen night.

[clanwilliam.livejournal.com]

a) You're you, you're an honorary girlie (for my value of girlie)

b) Rob needs the emotional support.

[liadnan]

(a): um, hmmm, um
(b) oh, ok then. When?

[liadnan]

It seems I cannot do hen night as coincidentally have stag party for someone getting maaried week before you thatweekend. Sorry.. have fun.

oh, come on

[nikandra.livejournal.com]

I won't be evil in critiquing Troy (unless asked, of course!!!!).

LOL

But I too am looking forward to seeing it. Last time I saw the trailer I started bouncing! It was so exciting!!! (well, mostly because it was horribly, but, as I said, I won't be mean unless you really won't mind *grin*).

Re: oh, come on

[liadnan]

Ah go on, we don't mind you being rude about it.

Don't encourage me!

[nikandra.livejournal.com]

because, by the time the film comes out I will know even more stuff about the material culture of the period, and then I will be really mean.

LOL

Re: oh, come on

[clanwilliam.livejournal.com]

It's *why* we want you there, after all!

Re: oh, come on

[nikandra.livejournal.com]

LOL

I really love people who don't mind me being mean! thank you!!!!!!

And, you know what that means - you won't escape me now! We WILL go see it together!!!! :) :)

[clodaghfiona.livejournal.com]

i am prone to mistreatment of my laptop...to date i have spilled chocolate chai over all of it, ruined the keyboard with a tea and honey incident, and have dropped it at least three times i can think of...good luck with yours

[liadnan]

My fingers are crossed on this one.

I once spilt a glass of wine on my keyboard: complete write-off but fortunately that was my old desktop, so easy enough to replace the board.

[talvalin.livejournal.com]

Chocolate chai? As in tea + honey + spices + chocolate? I love chai very much but adding chocolate seems, well, wrong.

[clodaghfiona.livejournal.com]

i was a poor freshman...thats all i can say...i havent had it for years in my defense :)

[talvalin.livejournal.com]

That's fine, but I'm just wondering if it tasted nice or not? I suppose I'll have to try it for myself at some point.

At one point I used to drink coke and milk, which is a ghastly concoction but it was strangely nice when I was younger. I stopped after my body cottoned on to the fact that I was drinking something vile and protested accordingly. I didn't vomit, but it was close.

[talvalin.livejournal.com]

Good luck with the laptop crisis.

I didn't see Arm Pitt as Achilles either, but I'll attempt to hold my comments until I've seen the film. A lot of good films are coming out in the next few months, but Shaun Of The Dead is still the one to watch.

[liadnan]

Yes, when is that? Also, when is Olympus due?

[talvalin.livejournal.com]

Shaun of the Dead is due out on April 9th (yay!), and Olympos has been pushed back (boo!).

Amazon insist it is due in January 2005, but Dan Simmons's site suggests somewhere nearer May 2005. Bugger.

And being an idiot, I went out and bought Songs Of The Kings yesterday. I think I'm going to have a binge session involving that book, The Iliad, The Odyssey and The Aenead. Unfortunately I have to re-read Liz Williams's Empire Of Bones first. It was average first time around and it's average now. Bah.