Clearing the Decks
30 January

Well, this is a posting which is more about getting a few things out of the way before embarking on another big adventure rather than anything else.

Next week, I do my civic duty.

But this week, I am simply going about my own business and getting on with life.

And I'm coming off the drugs!!!

During this intermediate stage, I'm finding that the day on which I take the tablet is the one that I feel the most flakey. But, that, presumably, is because at that stage the seratonin inducer is at its lowest ebb having missed taking one the day before.

My colleagues are giving me a little latitude. There was only one day when I felt particularly light-headed and woosey. Otherwise, I think, I have been more or less up to par.

At home on Friday , Ross and I watched Collateral on DVD and enjoyed Michael Mann's take on a film noir and enjoyed Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx's playing. It was a good evening's entertainment.

However, it was knocked into a cocked hat the following night by the excellence of House of Flying Daggers. I'm not usually into this genre of film. Although I could admire it, I didn't really like Crouching Tiger. This I was just bowled over by. Sumptuous does not do justice to the colour saturated screen with natural backcloths of bright green bamboo, red leaves, yellow leaves, white snow, silver barked trees. Achingly beautiful landscapes and interiors. And a plot of development and deception that was thoroughly engaging even if the cultural background was beyond my ken.

I really don't expect to have my eye ravished in quite such a fabulous way for the rest of the year and so, quite amazingly since it's only January, I am going to hand out my second five stars for a film this year, having already given the same accolade to Bad Education.

January has brought very few televisual delights. Not high on the list was another outing for Celebrity Big Brother. Initially, this was of great novelty value for the appearance of Germaine Greer, no less. However, she saw the error of her ways very early on in the proceedings and walked.

Thereafter, it was down to watching the eye candy. Jeremy Edwards, sometime of Hollyoaks and Holby City, disrobed to great effect at opportune moments. He also stuck up a very brotherly love friendship with young Kenzie, of Blazin' Squad. The two of them, er, hit if off.

If you are prepared for the bandwidth wasting plethora of images, you can see for yourself.