Evangelion 1.0 - You are (not) alone

Did on purpose not dive into background info such as storyline, the why and how. 

Turned out to be, indeed, a big recut of the series (which I did love fervently). But fairly high speed, taking most of the slow character arcs out of the story. I wonder what I would've thought about it if I'd never seen the series. It felt rushed, and sometimes simply badly cut: if you know the series fairly well, it's obvious more than one dialogue is the result of some fairly creative cutting and mixing.

Shinji's problems with his dad, Ritsuko Akagi's mother complex with the Magi's... it's all merely hinted at. Like the Third Child is mentioned, but never seen.

They manage to crush the first 20 or 22 episodes or so in one film... and then tell you to wait for "Evangelion 2.0 - you will (not) advance".  Strangely enough, right in the middle the title flashes over the screen, just like in the series.

What's new: Gendo Ikari saying it's time to "nudge" Shinji towards Rei, though what they want with that, is not sure yet (the scene in which he brings her her new pass and manages to crash them both to the floor, her naked under him, is there). The Last Angel is shown, "looking forward to meet you, Shinji", and you see him speaking to Seele's members.

It all seems they got rid of the metaphysical musings and turn it into a four-piece action series with film-length episodes. According to IMDB, it came out in 2007 and 2.0 is due this year, so we'll see.

I'm not overly excited yet, but it's wonderful to see the familiar visuals in the cinema. 

... to be continued, I guess.

J.K. Rowling - "Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets"

Amusing. Kept notes on each chapter: very short description, how is suspense build up, what suggestions or hints are thrown forward.

Little "jokes" in a paragraph almost always happen in its last sentence. Or rather, after a joke, start new paragraph.

Avoid boring continuing "said bla.... said bla..." by adding a (physical) response or action of that person. ".. said Snape, pursing his lips together".

I don't have the notes on the chapters available, will post them later.

New hobby: old rental lists

In my very first book from the library - it doesn't take something extraordinary to make me happy - I found a list from the previous renter:

1. "Sailing: from novice to..." [title translated by H]
2. "Sailpower; trimming guido for..." [title translated by H]
3. "Go sailing" [title translated by H]
4. Ultrasimple boatbuilding
5. Moby-Dick, or, The whale
6. How to design a boat
7. Harry Potter and the chamb

Someone's inner thoughts in the context of books! I love it. I just found a new hobby.

Lost iPhone app, or; the art of perseverance

Usually, film-to-application results in silly skins and the such, depicting "favourite" stills and/or audio fragments. Not particularly my thing, since it'll be overkill pretty soon (please everybody, stop those 24 ringtones. you are not Jack Bauer. Look at yourself; overweight, boring, regular. get a matching ringtone) and anyway it doesn't really convey the emotions of the film, more a bleak copy of it.

But this one caught my attention, and no, I don't have an iPhone. Entering the same 6 numbers every 108 minutes. Random messages will be sent to random users. The review says it all "How long can one last, being forced to return to their virtual terminal every hour and 48 minutes? And with no clear reward?"

Particularly, it'll make the difficult task Desmond faced much more tactile. You'll get crazy, but you can stop. It's just a game. But this simple exercise will undoubtly impress you with his personae and mental stability after doing it for weeks on end. This little app will actually make you experience a horrible period of one of the characters of your favourite show. And for realising that goal, I applaud it.

combining coffee...

Coffee, bananas and peppermint strangely enough make a wonderful combination. They probably are on facing outer edges of the palate.

Writing this in soft agony because there will be time to visit the Coffee Saloon this afternoon, resulting in self-inflicted abstinence from the black crap at the office.

It's for the better H, it's for the better.

Harry Potter cyclus

Saw the trailer of "Harry Potter and the half-blood prince" in IMAX. Reminded me again of actually getting those books and reading them. Especially the few last ones before the films come out. 

The films amuse and entertain, so the books must be even better, right?

Star Trek (IMAX)

Amusing, good popcorn stuff. Yes, lensflare-galore. And they were a bit too keen on over-obviously "introducing" all the main characters.

But considering the history against which they had to write and produce this film, the expectations and, more often, the sharp convictions uttered before anyone had even seen a single frame, I think they did a good job.

Had to laugh when the Enterprise rose above the spacey-dusty clouds with Saturn and its ring as backdrop, but only those who knew my father's studyroom would get the little joke.

Star Trek

expect popcorn-galore at "Star Trek IMAX". Quite a hassle to order online though, got a "technical problem with the payment server". twice.

Nick Cave - "And the ass saw the angel"

Last night I took "Drie op één perron" with me for an aftermatch drink. Good, but it's not a "pure poetry" book that I prefer. I'd like to have poetic proza, not "real" poetry. Not sure why yet, will try to figure that out.

On the way back it hit me: Nick Cave's "And the ass saw the angel" Now I only have to locate the box in which it is residing.

Prodigy - "Mindfields"

Watergraafsmeer! The rollercoaster app in the CAVE. Looped endlessly during the days it was open to the public.

Crazy. Prodigy still works well, also while trying to locate the origin of ntpd segfaulting. Should it be put on p.o.s.?

Prodigy - "Music for the jilted generation"

Rediscovering this album. "Break and enter", "Their Law", and the alltime fav "One Love (edit)"

Good for grinding through openssh code.