Another year over and a new one just begun, as the Christmas song goes. I think this year personally was a time of limbo, even though I hadn’t actually intended on it—it simply happened. I have been quite happily doing my own thing freelancing for a while, learning the scopes, stumbling along the way to [...]
China 2011 – Part One – A Taste of Shanghai, Hangzhou and Nanjing
So it’s been just over two weeks since I returned home from my trip to China (which explains my particular absence from the blog, not that that would be noticeable given my blogging track record…) and there is so much to share and reflect on.
I’ll be covering my trip over five posts:
Part 1: A Taste of Shanghai, Hangzhou and Nanjing (covered in this post)
Part 2: Breezing Through Suzhou and Wuxi
Part 3: Back in Shanghai
Part 4: Hilarity and High Times in Shanghai
Part 5: When West Marries East (or My Dude Cousin’s Big Fat Chinese -Western Wedding)
(Can you tell that I’m no copy writer?)
Giveaway Winner: Batmanian Blogoversary Bonanza!
The results are in! The lucky winner is:
Congratulations, Kirsty! I’ve sent a notification email already, so please reply back with a delivery address so I can post these goodies on your way!
Thanks to all who participated – I loved reading all your responses! Watch this space for more similar giveaways in future.
Notes of Desplat – Nine Films, Nine Sounds, Nine Perspectives
If it isn’t clear enough, I’ve been on a particularly obsessive Alexandre Desplat bent lately, so I thought I would expand on what films I have already seen that feature Desplat as the music composer. His filmography has grown dramatically over the last five years, and I know there is much I’ve yet to discover of his range and creative process.
I have taken on an ambitious task of so watching nine films composed by Desplat that cover the gamut of genres in no particular order, and I will concurrently review the soundtracks along with the movie. It’s a chance to appreciate, enjoy and critique the broad scope of Desplat’s skill and niche. The reviews will be bite-sized but detailed – I am consciously trying to cut down on my word count as a test of discipline (!).
Giveaway: Batmanian Blogoversary Bonanza!
Last month I marked the tenth anniversary of my first ever blog post. Nostalgia compels me to celebrate, so I thought I’d have a giveaway – completely unrelated to blogging, mind you, but hey, you get free shit! And better yet, FREE BATMAN SHIT from BATMANIA! And just as Batman decided to look outside of Gotham to expand on his horde of Batclones, this giveaway is INTERNATIONAL too! Yes, I will ship anywhere short of Krypton.
Steve Jobs 1955–2011
In an inadvertently ominous fashion, the day before Steve Jobs died, I stumbled on Todd Sampson’s Twitter feed, which had a link to Jobs’ unveiling his iconic “1984″ advertisement for the Macintosh computer. In it he was eloquent and passionate about his work. The pride written on his face during the applause was stunning. I [...]
How diabolically clever of you!
So today is the day my blog in all its varied forms turns TEN!
I’ve witnessed first hand the massive impact the simple art of publishing one’s thoughts online has had on the world over the last decade, and it’s been amazing – no one could have foreseen how far it would take off. Hell, when I first signed up for Twitter four years ago I thought it would be another web 2.0 flop. Blogging encompasses so much now. It’s endless entertainment, it’s unpredictable, it’s dangerous, it’s an agent for revolution and reform, it’s a thriving hive of rapid information exchange, it’s eclectic and colourful in all its interests.
Go go Gryffinclaw! Go go … Slytherin?!
So after a pretty long wait, on early Tuesday morning (3am AEST) I finally got my owl telling me my Pottermore account was ready. Of course, it was another day before I could even get past the busy server (Muggles—can’t trust their technology, really.) Consider yourself warned—SPOILERS AHEAD.
A welcome SEO surprise
I don’t often gloat (correction, I don’t like to gloat – my pompous ten year old know-it-all self is testament to that), but I think on this occasion some self-congratulation is deserved. About a couple of times a month (or whenever I remember to) I check the SEO status of my other portfolio domain. On Monday night, while searching my name on Google, I discovered something…
Tea-licious times
Recently (and by recently I mean over the last month) I’ve had tea, brunch and all manner of meals in several interesting places. I am now straying away from the regular cappucinos and other coffees, especially after that near fatal road accident I had several months ago at a roundabout on a main road after [...]
Soundtrack Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 by Alexandre Desplat
EDIT (October 2011): It’s come to my attention that I’ve been cited on the DH2 score’s Wikipedia page as a music critic. I just want to confirm that I am NOT a professional writer, just a curious and passionate fan. Late last year we heard rumours that John Williams would return to the Harry Potter [...]
The Last Page
It’s been just over four years exactly since the last Harry Potter book came out (21 July 2007). I still remember the time as clear as day – waking up at 6am on a Saturday, on one of the coldest July days, dressed in Gryffindor garb to meet up with my friend to be part [...]