In Search Of Gandalf

London, it's a strange old place. I've been going to there for quite a while now. Almost lived and worked there once, and truth be said I would have liked to have done so, for a while at least, not so sure nowadays. These days London still fascinates me yet alienates me too, it's a city of stark contrasts some of which draw me back and some that make me loathe it.

So anyway, London once again. This planned trip had been pulling me through the mundane days of the Christmas period. Friday the 11th soon came around and I was speeding towards the capital with fellow local online gamer and casual friend James to meet other online gamers from Lord of the Rings Online or Lotro for short. In truth it was only ever going to be a fleeting visit to meet, socialise and fit whatever we could in, so very ad hoc really. That said a loose plan of sorts was in place. 

As the patchwork of fields blinked passed I chatted to James in what seemed an almost empty carriage, an alternative ghost train being that is it was bereft of the usual hubbub of voices. Within no time the train was groaning to a halt at Kings Cross and after topping our oyster cards up we headed down to the underground and towards Oxford Street. The purpose of this was twofold, firstly I wanted to check out a pair of shoes from nearby Berwick Street in Soho and secondly were going to meet the third of our merry band of geeks called Alan who had travelled in from Cardiff. We soon chanced upon the shoe shop called 'Underground' though James spotted it before I did but my field of vision has never been wide. Whilst I tried a few pairs of 50s retro style shoes on James waited outside and was approached by a woman asking if he wanted 'ladies?', no shocks really as we were at the bottom end of Soho which is known for its seedier elements. Shoes bagged and I was a very happy hobbit, Alan had texted to say he'd arrived and as we were central we decided to hole up in a pub called The Blue Posts and await him. Two pints for very unremarkable beer wasn't cheap, £9 something as I recall but this is the heart of London so I expected nothing less, though was still quite taken aback. Alan soon arrived, greetings made and another pint and we decided to head over Shaftesbury Avenue and into China town for a cheap buffet meal before heading to the hotel. Passable buffet over we hit the underground and arrived at Southwark station which seemed quite new in appearance.

I've stayed in a fair few Travelodges in London but have to say this was the best so far. It was located down a quieter side street literally 3 mins walk from the underground, had a couple of pubs nearby though we only sampled one called 'The Ring' (very apt for Lord of the Rings fans). nestled underneath the Travelodge were a 24/7 convenience store and a very nice but reasonably priced cafe, so facility wise everything was good. The room itself was standard cheap hotel fare, clean and with a spacious walk in shower. 

That evening after a rest and freshening up we headed up to Camden Town. This was my idea but nobody had any other ideas and my logic being that Camden is a relatively small area with a good selection of pubs more suited to our age and not too expensive. In good spirits we moved from pub to pub starting at the Elephants Head before moving to the Hawley Arms and heading further down the High Street to a pub I thought was there but has either closed or been refurbed. Looking at old Google Street maps it's there as the Monarch which I visited with my friend Jane once. James quipped we were running out of Camden but seeing as he had no ideas himself we trekked back down the High street and decided to try a bar that looked ok from the outside and had comfy chairs. We were promptly stopped by a doorman who was asking a couple for identification and who seemed well into their twenties. I flatly refused to give my ID as I'm 40 something and a quick rack of my memory made me realise this was the first time I'd been asked my age since I was around 17, that being back in the mid 1980's. We strolled back down the street and my new shoes were beginning to chafe somewhat but a girl in her twenties shouted I was cute and also a 'teddy boy' (1950s rocker type) which made me smile, though I'm only the shoes were from that time period fashion wise. Next pub up was the Oxford Arms and we managed to get a table so stopped for a couple there, I had a hip flask in my pocket filled with Jack Daniels (for medicinal purposes!) so had a bit of a secret top up. Next we headed down Inverness Street to the Good Mixer, a perennial favourite of mine and a great lively pub. Alan was a gent and asked how my feet were holding. The Good Mixer was crowded to say the least and Alan remarked the name was very fitting as it was a very mixed crowd of people to say the least. James who usually drinks quite fast and then turns into a zombie seemed to be ok too, so all was well. We ended the night in Bucks Head where some guy was trying to wash his hair and then dry it under a dryer in a very cramped washroom. Then we got the tube back. At Southwark we noticed the station barriers were out of order so we couldn't check out using the oyster cards, so we got charged the maximum amount for the journey next day, not good. Arriving back near the hotel no local pubs were open which I found a bit of a shock being the capital and all that. So procuring a snack from the 24/7 shop it was time for some tv and then sleep, a good night had by all.

I was up early the next day and peering out of the window I noticed we had a good view of the new Shard building that seemed to reach skywards almost puncturing the grey clouds. I ached from the previous day, my joints reminded me London always takes it out of me. After a very good breakfast we headed into central London on foot to meet yet more geeks, one who was over from America called Jenna and her English friend Mark. The walk by the Thames cleared the previous nights cobwebs away and after a coffee in a very busy Starbucks we headed to Covent Garden station to meet the other two. Jenna came running out and greeted us all with warm hugs and we headed into Covent Garden for a stroll and chat. We browsed a few shops including Games Workshop and there was a good acoustic style band playing in one of the sunken sections of the market. Stomachs rumbling we weaved through some streets and ended up at a very old style pub called The Round Table where Jenna treated us all to some food, though three platters of mixed nibbles were barely enough to feed us all but would at least keep us going for a while. Part of our 'loose' plan was head over to the Limehouse area of east London to a pub called The Grapes which legendary actor Ian McKellen and Gandalf from the Lord of the Rings himself was part owner in (more here). We decided to head over there after the food and at this point James went into hyper mode conversation wise and wouldn't cease. Suddenly he was an authority in everything and even when the conversation briefly became contentious (it was about royalty) he wouldn't do the diplomatic thing and shut up. My thought being these were new people we were meeting and obviously had different views so I didn't really want to upset anyone or sabre rattle this early on. Eventually he stopped talking and we consulted tube maps for the journey eastwards. Some of the journey was on the DLR (Docklands Light Rail) and after a crowded tube journey in which Jenna saved me from hurtling down the train into other people by holding my hand tightly. It was a touching and thoughtful gesture as not being the tallest of people tube travel can be daunting when crowded.

At Limehouse Alan got a street map up on his phone and we soon found The Grapes down by the Thames. Walking towards it Jenna's friend Mark said he didn't know what to make of the area. He pointed out London is a collection of small towns joined together which ironically I'm sure my friend Pat also from London once said. Mark added that this area didn't seem to have an identity though some of this might be attributed to the gloomy weather. Personally it struck me as being a very affluent area with gated residential apartments, some with reception areas, that said I'm no expert on other areas of London that much really so I'm sure Mark has a relevant point. The whole area was quite nice and had canals and locks and a quite suburban feel. Characterless? well maybe a little but quite nice also.

The Grapes was a lovely little pub. A narrow dimly lit wooden affair with friendly bar staff but sadly no wizards in the form of Ian McKellen but then I knew the chances of seeing him were slim anyway. We settled in, drinks flowed nicely, James's capacity for talking hadn't ceased but we inter weaved with each other conversation wise as a group. A few hours dropped off the clock and it was a lovely place to pass the waning hours of an afternoon in getting to know new people. Jenna and Mark were lovely genuine people and I'm really pleased I met them, putting names to faces is always good. As afternoon slipped into evening we headed back into the Embankment area of London and after some indecision of what to do pub wise we ended up in a pub called The Sherlock Holmes which proved to be a good choice as it was fairly reasonably priced and the food was very good. The evening soon passed away, James continued to talk a lot but was slowing down a little and we said our goodbyes at the Embankment tube station after what was (ear bending aside) was a really good day.

On getting back to Southwark we had a final drink in The Ring pub near the hotel, said our goodbyes as we were heading back early the next day and then it was off to bed, I was tired after such an active day.

So Sunday came, up early and in no time back at Kings Cross and homeward bound. Alas the train broke down at Finsbury Park just outside of London and limped back to Kings Cross. James wasn't best pleased and berated public transport but I knew our tickets would be valid on another train back so didn't worry at all. They couldn't repair the train so after 30 minutes or so we were directed onto another. James stomped off and that was the last I saw of him. The platform was crowded and I had no idea which carriage he'd boarded, though I boarded pretty much the same one as indicated on my ticket. Soon London was behind me and I was disembarking back home walking up the quiet leafy road towards home.

All in all it was a welcome break that passed far too quickly, Jenna, Alan and Mark where lovely people and I'm really glad I met them. Next year perhaps? I'll even bring a ball gag for James!

2012

So that was 2012, personally an unremarkable year but not a totally wasted one either. When I reflect back over 2012 its been a year of highs and lows but neither at any great height or depth.

The low stuff? Well ongoing health issues, employment and love. Midway through the year I also hit a low patch, I wouldn't exactly call it depression and took no medication but there was a time when I struggled to be motivated and felt gloomy for a good duration. I think I only ever told a couple of people and I went around wearing a painted smile. It's hard to put into words how I felt but eventually I shook it off, I bounced back and now its behind me.

The highs? Becoming an unlikely male model photographed by a famous artist in London. Malta in spring. My Humanist blog, having the eye tattooed again and friends that made life ever enjoyable. There have been other good moments but the above are the ones that spring immediately to mind.

I think on the whole 2012 made me a better person inside. I certainly became stronger, absorbed more, became something of a rebel with causes yet remained balanced and able to realise when I was wrong and needed to re-align matters. Less beer has been consumed and more books have been read. Even when I momentarily glanced into the past I felt no emotion, a sure sign I'd moved on.

So what do I want for 2013, well apart from the usual health and happiness I want many things. I want to carry on building great friendships, I want to travel more and get my car back on the road. In these uncertain times I want stability (who doesn't!?) but I'm still going to speak out against issues many would rather avoid. Honestly speaking I don't have a concrete plan for 2013 but I've always liked to be flexible, I suspect the car being road worthy again and becoming fitter are immediate priorities though, then I'll take it from there.

So bring on 2013. I'm ready!

Of Facebook, Friends and Passions Bold

'Monsieur l'abbé, I detest what you write, but I would give my life to make it possible for you to continue to write.' 

Was written by Voltaire in a letter to M. le Riche, February 6, 1770. It's often misquoted nowadays along the lines of 'I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it'. With that sentence said, and hopefully digested by anyone reading I want to write frankly about feelings, passions and that modern conundrum of social networking - Facebook.

I have to be honest and say I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook. Like most human beings I'm inquisitive, so checking into Facebook regularly satisfies my thirst for knowledge and curiosity. Overall I think I like it mainly because it keeps all friends and associates alike in one place. I suspect some just have a large friends list to stroke their own ego though!

That said I don't always like what I see on there. I'll be candid for a moment and say I don't like a constant stream of updates by the same person. Then there's the things I have no interest in, babies, dogs, repeated posting of regurgitated imaged jokes that are still doing the rounds from Myspace and constant posting of music videos. 

BUT....

That said I have nothing personally against the person posting, because to be honest, if I had kids I'd be passionate about them, I'd be proud and want the world to know about them. If I had a dog, the same would apply, as would a favourite musical band, and on it goes. So even though I grind my teeth about some things I'd always defend peoples right to post whatever they want. What do I like to see? Well I enjoy witty comments, jokes, holiday photos as I love travel and links to interesting articles. So I guess the likes offset the dislikes and you have to take into account we're all different, we can't all like the same thing - fact.

The reality is on platforms such as Facebook is that people don't do criticism well, who does really? Criticism and things like ridicule come in different forms of course and can be constructive as well as negative but when we do either - we reason. I recently told a female friend I thought she posted too many status updates and many seemed mundane or irrelevant. This of course didn't go down well and I woke the next day to find myself deleted as a friend. Oh well, my timing wasn't perfect but my criticism was that if I was finding minutiae and tedium in her status's then others may do but of course I realise she has every right to post status's as much as she likes. I don't mind being deleted and obviously my comments hit a nerve but in all honesty her constant stream of comments pointed towards insecurity and a desire to be popular when really she was likeable enough in the first place. Sometimes people need telling and in some circumstances its for the right reasons or we care.

This is where Facebook is used as a weapon though, an emotional base tool akin to infantile playground psychology 'I've suddenly decided I don't like you and I'm not your friend anymore'. We may all remove people from time to time on Facebook for varying valid reasons. I've done it myself but the usual reason for me is I don't really know the person, or they are the type to add you then never speak when they see you in the street. Would I delete someone for disagreeing or criticism of me? Highly unlikely.

I often clash with people on Facebook because some of my views are controversial, I seemingly have a faculty to disenchant people with my opinions and critical thinking. I'm pretty sure some of this is because people don't want think critically, they are comfortable in their bubble and stepping out of it can be unnerving. They may also disagree with me because they have genuine logical and legitimate reasons to do so, after all people do think differently, which is why I like debate so I can see different angles on things. Though I may have strong thoughts and passionate opinions I am not afraid to be outwitted or proved wrong.

Take for instance a recent status of mine in which I openly voiced opinion against the Pope and Queen. People didn't like it, knee jerk reactions occurred and strong counter opinions were voiced, some however were in total concurrence. The person that didn't like my comments is an ex military sort, excellent morals and not a bad bloke at all, the queen and country noble sort you might say and we seem to share a passion for dark humour. The irony was though whilst he was happy to defend religion he has been open about his feelings on Muslims etc in the past, some of which I share, especially on immigration. So the obvious counter argument would be you can defend one faith yet not another? Christianity can be a comfort to millions yet Islam cannot? I don't like any organised faith, though more of that shortly. He actually backed a comment once that I did on immigration but probably believes Britain is still great. I'd say we are both patriots in a different way.

Personally speaking, I don't like the Monarchy, I feel we are descending into neo-feudalism where the cultural and rich/poor divide is getting bigger. So inevitably what we may be come is something like a quasi medieval society and the historically minded will all know how grim those times were. Just look at Henry VIII, he used religion to his advantage, used ordinary men in wars to acquire territory and wealth and gorged on lavish banquets when many had nothing. I'm not saying the current monarchy is the same of course but they have many, many faults and we shouldn't blindly put so much emphasis on them as we do in my opinion, the days of the empire are long gone, we need to modernise and not keep giving rich people even more money.

Moving to religion, well that would take an age to explain my complete and utter revulsion of it. The pope preaches love and peace in his Christmas message yet openly takes a swipe at gay people, a contradiction in terms. The papacy is an organisation that is seeing thousands die in Africa by telling them using condoms is against gods will. How in rationalities name is this good??

My views on organised religion are so strong that I have been writing a Humanist blog since March of this year. I am wholehearted and passionately opposed to it for countless reasons.

So going full circle. Passion for things is what drives us, you are passionate, I am passionate, you have interests, I have interests, you have causes, I have causes and we all have different humour. The stigma attached to shorter people like me voicing opinions is that we have 'little man syndrome'. Any person under 5'5" kicking off is seemingly labelled with it. No such condition exists of course but its often used to denigrate the more vertically challenged of us should we get uppity and dare to have an opinion. I understand the term of course, and in some ways I agree it can be applicable, but only in the sense of a short person with real anger issues actively seeking physical confrontation to prove something, that is just folly. Maybe in my late teens and early twenties I may have been more like that, trying to stand shoulder to shoulder in the big wide world but you soon find out big people hurt when they hit (physics!) but that's not to say little people can't hurt back, Mike Tyson was never the tallest of boxers I believe. Fighting in any form, though necessary on occasion, should be avoided, I'd go for debate and dialogue every time. I realise I am diminutive in physical stature, I'm happy with that especially in my more mature years, wit and words have to be my weapons because brawn cannot be, I just wouldn't want to be the big sort who clobbered someone because they disagreed and could do so through sheer physical force. I guess I'm the Tyrion Lannister sort, for anyone that watches the Game of Thrones series or reads the books.

My passions, my angers, my beliefs are done via the medium of blogging and Facebook, with words and reasoning, done with honesty and done so all can see. Anyone who really knows me, knows the real me as a person despite my rants, opinions and dark satire. On many occasions I cross swords on Facebook with another friend but we always chat about views when we meet and we appreciate each others brevity on certain things.

I'm fortunate to live in a democracy and have free speech. On some occasions though I've been wrong, certain criticisms of the Fox & Crown come to mind but these were things I felt passionate about at the time but reacted to in haste and by listening to people whom perhaps I shouldn't but I'm human and I make mistakes. I deleted my blog on the pub and spoke to the people concerned, admittedly I should have perhaps done that in the first place. I know all don't agree with me, I don't expect them to but I hope the bonds of friendship transcends differences in opinions and they are mutually respected. I just want to end with the fact if you don't feel happy about something then don't be ever be afraid to say!

As Mark Twain once said; 'Our opinions do not really blossom into fruition until we have expressed them to someone else.'

I may not like everyone's views or opinions but like Voltaire I would defend their right to have them. Social Networking and blogging may not be everyone's proverbial cup of tea but it gives millions a voice - 'Vive la social revolution!'

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Review

So there I sat, a happy little hobbit waiting for a film I'd always wanted to see, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey though the reality is this isn't an unexpected review!

*Warning the following review has minor rants and contains spoilers*

The film starts well with Ian Holm reprising his role as the original Bilbo Baggins alongside Elijah Wood playing Frodo in what is a nice little prologue piece linking the movie to the past Lord of the Rings trilogy via Bilbo's memoirs.

Then more back story follows regarding the Dwarven kingdoms of Erebor before Gandalf presents himself at Bag End and invites the new Bilbo (Martin Freeman) 'On an adventure'. So far, so good and it gets better when the dwarves 'come-a-knockin' at the shy hobbit's round door. The atmosphere is infectious, the dwarves are brimming with character and a couple of songs add to the proceedings and light heartedness. Peter Jackson's script writers have also injected some humour in there which works well and has the audience laughing along.

Bone of contention #1

I'm surprised that despite his eye for detail Jackson fails to explain how Gandalf and Thorin have actually met, to omit something like that didn't sit well with me. They both actually meet at the Prancing Pony in Bree before the main story begins and travel together to the Shire, both discovering mutual goals. It would have been so easy for Jackson to have inserted a brief scene of them meeting in Bree to explain things but no, you're left to work that one out for yourself.

Proceedings move swiftly on to the dwarven mission and off we trot seemingly with little deliberation for Bilbo except for a few moments of silence when he gazes around his empty hobbit hole but this is only a small gripe on my part.

Bilbo soon sets off and we are out of the Shire, which leaves me wondering why Jackson rebuilt the entire Hobbiton village again, because we see little of it, if at all, unless we see more in a future film.

So, onto the road we go, some more back story on Thorin from the excellent Ken Stott who plays the aged dwarven veteran 'Balin'. We were promised more of Middle Earth and I felt Jackson could have done a CGI Bree in the distance for a fleeting scene before the party enter the Lonelands. Suddenly its into the Trollshaws and the Trolls. 

Bone of contention #2

Balin mentions more of the back story of Thorin and the battle of Azanulbizar in which Thorin was wounded after fighting Azog (allegedly) but gains his name from using an oak branch as a shield. The film distorts this beyond belief. Page 1410, Appendix A, states that Thorin was wounded in the battle along with Thrain and there's a footnote to Thorin getting his name from the oaken branch but that's as far as it goes for Thorin in the battle, he's only a young dwarf then after all. Azog the orc is actually slain in this battle by a young Dain Ironfoot after Azog slays Nain his father. Dain despite his young years slays Azog and beheads him, he's shaken by it all but goes onto greater things, but the battle is won even though the dwarven loses are grievous (Return of the King, page 1411 appendix A). Despite all this in the movie Azog is alive and well and hungry for more despite having had his head hewn off and thrust on a stake in the book. So the stage is now set in the movie for Azog to be Thorins nemesis and for a purist like me its unforgivable. It will be interesting to see how they portray Billy Connelly who plays Dain in a later film but any credit of him killing Azog has been stolen from him by the meddling Jackson.

Moving on, we meet the wizard Radagast the Brown who is played very adeptly by Sylvester McCoy and isn't as irritating as earlier reports suggested, however...

Bone of contention #3

How does Radagast move so quickly from Rhosgobel in Mirkwood over the Misty Mountains and bump into the company? Its a good old trek and bumping into the company by chance? I think not, there's fate and good luck but come on! I'm not against Radagast's appearance in the film but in the books he barely gets a line or two and the movie embellishes his role above and beyond its need.

So the trolls dealt with we have Azog in hot pursuit and suddenly the terrain changes from woodland to barren hills in the blink of an eye, the company descend into the safety of Rivendell and we get more story distortions on the council of the wise meeting etc, though it seems to work ok.

Thorin isn't a happy dwarf and heads off as he's working against the clock mission wise. So off the party head again and set about traversing the Misty Mountains. Not a wise move but the interlude where the giants enter is vastly over emphasised and adds nothing to the movie, its not a bone of contention I just didn't see the point in mountains moving and theatrics. The party take shelter, Bilbo isn't happy and then the goblins capture all but Bilbo.

Andy Serkis returns as Gollum, steals the show again and the riddle scene is faithfully recreated. The we get Gandalf returning to rescue the dwarves and like the mountain scene an overstated scene of escape in which rickety wooden platforms and rope bridges look more like a Keystone cops caper than able dwarves escaping, it doesn't feel right at all, though Barry Humpries works well as the Goblin king and there's some chuckles in there.

Bilbo having unwittingly discovered the one ring realises that it makes him invisible and makes his escape from the now maniacal Gollum and rejoins the dwarves. Though...

Bone of contention #4

Bilbo having gave Gollum the slip actually escapes from goblins and rejoins the dwarves, The Hobbit, Riddles in the Dark pages 85-86 but this is a minor moan really.

So on escaping Azog once again gives pursuit to our unlucky band having had a seemingly easier journey thus far. The dwarves get trapped up trees just like in the book but...

Bone of contention #5

Azog and Thorin bump heads and get it on and Bilbo joins in the battle with the rest of the dwarves before they are all rescued by the eagles. They do get rescued by the eagles in the book but the skirmish never actually occurs and of course Azog shouldn't even be there!

So, that really concludes the film and I guess if you're reading this that I didn't really enjoy it. On the contrary I did but I can't abide Jacksons meddling when it isn't necessary at all, the book provides plenty of material and so do later appendices and references. On a more positive note, when the closing credits came down my friend Dominic turned to me and said 'It feels like we've never been away'. He was right, it didn't, the one good thing despite new technological innovations is Middle Earth still feels familiar and that's a boon for the viewer and casual Tolkien fan. New Zealand does capture the feel of Middle Earth well but I can't help musing what if some bits had actually been filmed here in England, it would have been nice. 

Despite the bending of the original story the film works well enough, the actors hold the film up well, Ian McKellen being especially excellent as a returning Gandalf. Freeman is a revelation as Bilbo and fits the role fantastically and the actors playing the dwarves are all very commendable too, though some get more lines than others, of course this may change. I really liked Ken Stott playing the elder Dwarf Balin. The film is a little protracted but I never really felt bored as the pace moves along fairly well with the odd pause, Rivendell being the main one.

In all honesty it felt good to be back in Middle Earth, I suspect greater things will come (well I hope so) in later films and the characters will grow even more. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey isn't an epic but its not shabby either, Peter Jackson has taken many liberties with it and some of it works and for purists like me some is just downright wrong. I can't judge a whole trilogy on one film but it isn't a bad start all said and done but its nothing earth shattering either.

I can't help wondering what another director would do with it all but I guess that will never happen in my time. If I had to rate it out of 10, then I'd give it a solid 7 but I can't help feeling a little disenchanted by Jacksons meddling. I'll go see it again in 48 frames per second I suspect. The soundtrack is also noteworthy and like the LoTR's trilogy compliments things well.

So, to end with, not a bad movie experience by any means, I'd recommend it and I'd see it again but I think it'll be better to judge it as a trilogy than a one off film at the end of the day.

The Final Countdown

The tickets are purchased and now the waiting and anticipation begins, I'm talking about The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Soon the magical story from my childhood will grace the big screen and the characters from the book will spring to life as imagined by director Peter Jackson and Co. Whilst I am excited, I am also feeling tentative because being something of a Tolkien purist I want it to look and feel right whilst keeping to the original story. 

The reviews and feedback so far vary widely. Much is being debated from technical merits to the length of the film and opinion does seem divided though it does lean towards favourable. I always expected it to get some flak, after all Peter Jackson isn't everyone's cup of tea. Of course I'll have to wait until I see it for myself, and indeed I did have issues with the Lord of the Rings trilogy which I felt had genuine moments of cinematic greatness to dull and protracted interludes that added nothing to the story. The bottom line with books that become films is that they are adapted to suit the masses.

I'm looking forward to this movie, it feels very much like the movie(s) that I've always wanted and waited and now its all reality. Bilbo Baggins maybe an unlikely hero but he's always been my hero and now he's leaping from the pages of the book onto the screen. 

As I've mentioned before in past blogs, I read The Hobbit and then read the Lord of the Rings whilst on holiday in Yorkshire aged around 14. I remember being sat outside the farmhouse we stayed in steadily reading through the book, gazing at the maps and daydreaming about Middle Earth. There were always parts I never really understood and re-read but as I absorbed the pages I was flanked by the shimmering sea to my left and rolling wooded hills to my right. I would often stop reading and imagine characters from the books walking through the beautiful countryside around me. So whatever happens with the upcoming movies I will still have the books and the memories regardless.

So the countdown until Thursday and the movie begins. I expect my excitement will steadily mount and hopefully I will be able to do some kind of review come the end of this week.

Martin Freeman is Bilbo Baggins and he's going on an adventure!

......

Midnight

The Lords of Midnight was a game that had me hooked as a youngster. So much so that in my final year of school in 1984 I'd stay up till almost the next day playing it on my Sinclair ZX Spectrum. It was an amazing strategy role playing game that will always stay with me as one of the most influential games I've ever played. Today a friend emailed me to say the creator of that game series had died, his name was Mike Singleton. This report in the Guardian describes the game better than I ever could. I do feel a tinge of sadness at his passing, of course I never knew him or anything about him personally but it was his game that had me hooked on a game genre that I cannot give up to this day, on reflection it really was a ground breaking game.

I fondly remember nights sat peering into a colour portable tv having loaded the game in via a clunky cassette recorder. I'd immerse myself in the game, plan strategies, make notes and replace the game cassette with something like Duran Duran. I still recall listening to The Chauffeur by them whilst playing the game, oddly it seemed to fit the pace and mystery of the game. Happy nostalgic memories, and to Mike Singleton, a true visionary - thank you for those memories and rest in peace.

Westward Bound?

'Move out of the way!' some tracksuit clad yob shouted as he ran down the alleyway in front of me.

I stepped aside slightly, not that I was exactly in his way and mused if he was a thief with the haste he was in. The next road was no better, a cyclist hurtling down the pavement with no regard for anyone. Arriving on the market square my eyes casually scan across it. I see lots of mothers with push chairs, many are of Eastern European origin chatting in their own native tongue that never seems to come up for air. Where ever I look there seems to be underclass type people in tracksuits despite the fact they aren't practical in this cold weather, they shout instead of talking in guttural slang, it barely resembles English. Perhaps I am being one sided here, but it is what I saw, and what I keep seeing on daily sojourns through the provincial market town I live in. In fact I've witnessed a few things recently, none that I can really draw positives from. In some respects it's a sign of the times and getting endemic in most towns across the country.

Reflecting back, I recall these type of people were one of the reasons I left the last town where I lived, not the main reason by any account but one of them.

Do I like where I live? The answer is yes, the simple argument being that there are worse places to live, though that said - there's better. I might be cynical but I really can't see things getting any better, as ignorant generation produces yet more increasingly ignorant generations. The social changes I've seen since I was a teenager have been quite frankly unnerving. I can't deny that I am feeling restless here.

For some time now I've looked to relocating to the coast, the south west coasts of Somerset and Devon really appeal to me for many reasons. The older I get the less interested in town life I am, a small place by or near the coast in a large historical village or small town is what I ideally want. The air would be better for my asthma, there'd be less idiots (though every place has them I confess) and it'd be a better environment generally. When you get older your priorities change and what I wanted before are changing. I don't want somewhere that has nothing but the basics will do fine, a sprinkling of nice pubs, a few shops, bank post office etc, I'm sure you get the idea, quiet and functional yet picturesque. I'm not a snob, I just want to escape to something more 'me'.

I guess this all sounds like a dream, a fantasy or wish, and I concede that in some respects it very much is. The thing is, if I don't look into these type of places, visit them, check them out for suitable jobs then I'll never know or make it happen.

Squander

I'm not going to lie, I don't like the Conservatives and never have done. In my opinion they have always been out of touch with the common man in the street. That said recent backing of gay marriages when a vote becomes available is to be commended by them. 

Anyway, the point I wish to gnash my teeth about is the fact the government is allocating £50 million to commemorate the centenary of Word War 1. I personally find it staggering that almost a 100 years on and in harsh economic times we are going to squander such a large amount.

Do I respect what the servicemen did during the great war? Of course I do, my great, great grandfather fought as a cavalry man in it but I think a war that was mainly about colonial powers jostling and bumping heads should now start to be committed to the history books more. Sure, have the memorials, remember the sacrifices, keep it alive in museums and classrooms so that new generations can understand and learn from it.

Let me put it in another perspective. Outside of Athens, just a short bus ride away is the site of the Battle of Marathon. On the shoreline graced with wooded pines is a triangular area with a hillock, inside that hillock Athenians citizen soldiery are buried that defended the fledgling democratic world from Persian dictatorship and tyranny. The battle of Marathon in 490BC is considered by historians as perhaps one of the most important battles of all time because of the implications of its outcome yet its dead lay in a simple setting and millions worldwide are unaware of their important sacrifice. 

Should we remember and honour our fallen, without doubt but we should also educate to classrooms the senseless slaughter and folly of that war too. We should have services and memorial ceremonies but seriously, in these dark times should we really be throwing £50 million on it? The government seems focused on bigging up Britain at the moment whilst the reality of what is really happening in the country is yet again glossed over.

I'm pretty sure the soldiers who died would want to be remembered and rightly so but they'd also want us to have a better country with money spent wisely.

A Moral Regret

I was in town today, sat in market place drinking coffee outside Starbucks, coat buttoned up against the cold whilst talking to a friend. We noticed a man hovering around near us and when we paused in conversation he came forward and politely asked if he could ask us both a question? We both nodded and smiled and the man told us he was a Dutch guy who was over here with his girlfriend but had run into a problems. He went on to add he'd stayed at York and used his bank card with no problems whilst in a hotel, however he'd since been unable to find an ATM machine that would dispense money to him. He went on to enquire if we knew of any banks that would help him?

We pondered for a moment and then pointed out the major banks in our small town, the HSBC bank being the most well known internationally. He said he'd tried that one and they were unable to help. At that moment his girlfriend returned, they spoke quickly in Dutch and then thanked us for our help, adding he'd called home for assistance. His phone then rang and they wandered off.

Sitting musing the situation my friend and I pondered things. I added maybe if they were struggling I could have got them a coffee each, after all it was a cold day and a couple of coffees don't cost much. As we mused more questions arose, such as why didn't they carry cash or other cards? After all if you are going abroad there's many ways to carry cash in different forms. I'm not saying these guys didn't seem genuine, in fact they had probably just ran into bad luck and not prepared for their journey that well. I love Dutch people, they spoke in Dutch, I have a Dutch friend, in fact there seemed little to doubt.

A few minutes later they passed by us again at a distance and waved and smiled before vanishing from view, maybe the phone call he received was good news? My overriding thought was I wished I'd asked them to join us for a coffee and regretted not doing so. Was it right to be wary and cautious, I believe so to some degree but couldn't help feeling 'What if I ever needed help when abroad?'. As it happens I have, in Thailand once, and a Thai man helped me more than I could have imagined and yet today I felt at a loss after for not helping more apart from offering some advice. It's really funny how life throws us these little moral dilemmas at times and how they play on our minds after.

Tolkien Week #5

Well Tolkien week is coming to a close, there's been lots of coverage in the media and especially on the internet. The new 'The Hobbit' trailer has been released and celebrations over the book have been world wide. The new movie is literally weeks away and hopefully Peter Jackson will deliver a great experience that finally brings the book to life. So, in closing I leave you with the new movie poster for The Hobbit!

Tolkien Week #4

So today is where it all began 75 years ago with the publication of The Hobbit. As Tolkien would say 'The road goes ever on' and indeed it does with the forthcoming The Hobbit movie. Below, to celebrate the book are a selection of Hobbit covers past, present and foreign.

Tolkien Week #3

So the new The Hobbit trailer has arrived at long last. Duration wise its a massive jump on the first teaser trailer released back at the end of last year, this one being two and a half minutes. Though it is longer Peter Jackson has still been canny with the content in it. It does feel like we've got an expanded version of the original teaser in the fact we've got more of the same with a few extras and nothing much being given away really. However that said we do get a few more lingering moments on characters and places such as Radagast the brown wizard and Dol Guldur in Mirkwood. All in all its a pleasing little trailer and I hope we'll see yet another trailer before the movie release because the content is there and I can't help feeling Jackson is holding back on some characters such as Beorn, the Goblin King and many others, not to mention Smaug.

My only bone of contention is the content really. Being a purist of the novels I did grind my teeth at what went into the Lord of the Rings and what was omitted. I suspect with The Hobbit not being anywhere as voluminous as its sequels this may not be a problem this time around (I hope).  

There is some talk from critics that because the film has been shot at a very high quality (I forget the tech term for it but it's on the movie blogs) and that this reveals too much detail in outfits and prosthetics which detracts from realism. Firstly, I'm not yet seeing that myself, much like with any fantasy genre movie you know ultimately prosthetics are used if CGI isn't, so I've got my head around it in that respect. That said I don't know what effect the high quality detail will have over the duration over the film, it may indeed be a point I flag up, though as I'll only be watching it in 2D I hope not, it remains to be seen though I guess.

I remain optimistic and hopeful Peter Jackson will deliver. He certainly has a great story content there, a whole cast of great actors and most likely some of the best production people in the business. Right up until the end credits role I will have reservations but right now I think its shaping up well.

Click HERE for the new trailer on itunes, its trailer 2 by the way.