Duck!
The Halesworth ducks like to explore. This chap was in the car park, a fair way from the river.
QotD: Signed, Sealed, Delivered
How do you sign your emails?
Submitted by rosemarypepper.
In general: "Regards, Adam"
For friends: "A"
For Lorna: "A xx"
Not very exciting...
Oh, so cute
Just for Andrew Orange:
Last of the Time Lords: intial thoughts
My goodness. Doctor Who fans are a miserable bunch, aren't they?
[Link now dead] Personally, I rather enjoyed that. Lots of fun, some real, lingering emotional consequences to what happened, and at least three separate threads that will continue into the next series.
And the Titanic in the Vortex.
Christmas seems too far away, now.
More detailed thoughts tomorrow.
Truro Cathedral
In Praise of Lucy Saxon
[caption id=“attachment_2708” align=“alignright” width=“288”]
Alexandra Moen as Lucy Saxon[/caption]
I don’t watch much TV right now. I’m the archetypical 30-something who is caught between a busy lifestyle, family commitments and the internet. But one show that I do watch religiously is Doctor Who. The reasons why are fodder for another post but, for now, I’d just like to spend a few moments congratulating the combination of Russell T. Davies and Alexandra Moen for bringing us the character of Lucy Saxon (pictured right from next Saturday’s episode).
Giving the Master an evil companion to match the Doctor’s good companions is an inspired idea, really pushing the idea of the two Time Lords being dark reflections of each other. And her clearly sexual (as far as anything can be clearly sexual in a family show) relationship with The Master-as-Harold Saxon mirrors the Doctor’s endlessly chaste relationships with his travelling companions.
Moen’s contribution? She’s managed to make a relatively small part compelling, and give a character who is excited at the idea of the rapid slaughter of 10% of Earth’s population a staggering credibility, in the circumstances. Davies has used the character as a powerful tool to underline the horrific nature of what’s happening, which has proved necessary with John Simm’s so-far-over-the-top-he’s-likeable portrayal of the Master. She gives a human edge to his alien villainy that brings it all so much closer to home.
So far we’ve seen her as the stereotype politician’s wife, with sensible hair, and buttoned-down outfit. From the looks of the picture, we’ll see her as a much more typical villain at the weekend.
Dramas like Doctor Who often stand or fall on their guest cast. So far, Moen’s Lucy Saxon has been one of the best.
Rusted
Rusted, originally uploaded by Adam Tinworth.
Faithful Times
The Times has launched a new blog about faith. Faith Central, written by Libby Purves, is already proving a good guide to the complicated issues facing people of various faiths around the world. It makes a nice counterpoint to Ruth Gledhill's Articles of Faith.
(I still have no idea at all why The Times uses Typepad without even mapping a domain onto the blogs though. Still, Six Apart must be happy with all the Google juice Typepad is getting as a result.)
Stormy Weather
Never Underestimate the Power of Bric-a-Brac
To Halesworth, and the annual cream teas in aid of the local Community Nursing Care Fund. In the past, this has been a big family occasion, but this time, for various reasons, it was just me and Mum.
The appeal of the event is pretty obvious: fresh-picked strawberries and rich local cream; cheap plants grown locally; a tombola and raffle. All clearly appealing things. But the real draw, and the real mystery to me, is bric-a-brac.
They were waiting, you see. They were lurking outside, gathered furtively at the gate while the unloading and setting up and organising was going on. They knew what time it started. And they knew where they wanted to go.
At the stroke of 3pm, they were in. Past the strawberries they went, and past the tombola. They didn't divert to the plants or the raffle. No. They were the bric-a-brac hordes, and nothing would stop them. A bounty of china Christmas trees, bed warmers, stringless guitars and old plates awaited, and they would plunder.
Us? We had tea and scones. Mmmm.
The appeal of the event is pretty obvious: fresh-picked strawberries and rich local cream; cheap plants grown locally; a tombola and raffle. All clearly appealing things. But the real draw, and the real mystery to me, is bric-a-brac.
They were waiting, you see. They were lurking outside, gathered furtively at the gate while the unloading and setting up and organising was going on. They knew what time it started. And they knew where they wanted to go.
At the stroke of 3pm, they were in. Past the strawberries they went, and past the tombola. They didn't divert to the plants or the raffle. No. They were the bric-a-brac hordes, and nothing would stop them. A bounty of china Christmas trees, bed warmers, stringless guitars and old plates awaited, and they would plunder.
Us? We had tea and scones. Mmmm.
Summer's Coming...
…and with it some colourful fashions, according to the windows on the King's Road. About time, too…
Hospital Sculpture
I do like this.
Farmers Weekly: Rural Porn
I'm so proud to work here sometimes. This is the follow-up to the Farmers Weekly video I posted a week or so back:
When Advertising Becomes Art
…or something like it at least.
The Family Album
Another recovery scan - and this one has proved to be rather more tricky to get the colour right. Dad, Mark and Mum are standing in what I think is the courtyard of Castle Campbell in Dollar, where I grew up.
I've no idea who the random kid on the left is. However, he adds a slightly creepy touch to the image and, with the square composition and the large empty space above (not to mention the slightly odd colours), this looks a bit like an LP cover.
Which is cool.
Here's another one from the same set:
I've no idea who the random kid on the left is. However, he adds a slightly creepy touch to the image and, with the square composition and the large empty space above (not to mention the slightly odd colours), this looks a bit like an LP cover.
Which is cool.
Here's another one from the same set:
QotD: You'd Never Believe It
What story from your wild-and-crazy youth would nobody believe about you today?
July 1992. Leytonstone. Nobody today believes that that's me at the front…
New Old Photo
I've been having fun with the scanner again.
This is one of the oldest photos I've ever taken. My models are my great auntie Joan and great uncle Jim, and my brother Mark. I'd guess that this was taken around 1978 or 1979, and is in a Scottish historic building of some sort. I wonder if Mum will remember where.
This is the best the picture has ever looked. The film was left in the camera for waaaay too long, and was badly colour-shifted when it was developed.
Now, through the wonders of modern technology, and a little work, it looks somewhat like it should have looked in the first place.
This is one of the oldest photos I've ever taken. My models are my great auntie Joan and great uncle Jim, and my brother Mark. I'd guess that this was taken around 1978 or 1979, and is in a Scottish historic building of some sort. I wonder if Mum will remember where.
This is the best the picture has ever looked. The film was left in the camera for waaaay too long, and was badly colour-shifted when it was developed.
Now, through the wonders of modern technology, and a little work, it looks somewhat like it should have looked in the first place.
My Voxiversary
I just realised: I've been on Vox for one year now.
My, but a lot has changed in that year…
Tour of Dublin
A few weeks back, Karl and I went to Dublin, to visit the offices of Irish Medical Times. Michael, the mag's publisher, took us on a quick walking tour of the city after lunch, and I grabbed a few photos on my phone:
Cameraphone Letdown
While the humble mobile phone has all but replaced my digital compact camera for taking snaps on the go, once in a while I get frustrated by its limitations.
There was that pic of a field of rape a few months back. And I've just found this snap left on my phone. It was meant to be of the wonderfully warm, rich, orange light I could see one evening from my office window.
And it looks, well, mundane.
Maybe I should start carrying my digital SLR with me everywhere,
There was that pic of a field of rape a few months back. And I've just found this snap left on my phone. It was meant to be of the wonderfully warm, rich, orange light I could see one evening from my office window.
And it looks, well, mundane.
Maybe I should start carrying my digital SLR with me everywhere,
Vox Hunt: I Hold It In My Hands
Show us what you hold in your hands the most every day.
Submitted by lezlee.
Somewhat obvious: my Starck-designed mouse. It's a little the worse for wear, but it's done good service.
A Windows Safari
Safari on Windows.
It feels weird. But a good weird.
Oh, and there's a cool benefit for Vox users - the compose window mostly works in both the Mac and Windows versions of Safari 3.
Happy Holiday Memories
It all seems so long ago now…
Coffee Forecast: Monday 11th June
Today, I forecast three cups of coffee, because I'm a little tired.
QotD: In Case Of Emergency
Who is your Alert In Case Of Emergency person?
Why, the science pixie, Dr Evil herself, Lorna.
This isn't just squishy sentimentality, either. I would trust her more than anyone else to actually do whatever was needed should anything go horribly wrong.