2008 ~ theregoestheday

MY BETTER HALF...

This woman is cleverer, funnier and stronger than I am. So she can certainly kick YOUR ass...

Archive for 2008

FARGOS OF THE FROST ARK...

Apologies for the lack of updates. My laptop is hunky-dory but I can't hook it up to Jill's main signal, so it requires a fair amount of to'ing and fro'ing between the two computers with files etc.As promised I'm adding some photos from my stay to the page. I've taken (as always) a fair amount of photos - there have been some lovely sunsets across the snowy hills and streets - and I've got at least one of the two main articles I have to do out of the way, so most of the neccesities are done.The...

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On Dec - 30 - 2008

GLAD TIDYINGS OF COMFORT & JOY...

Still a good few minutes before it's technically Christmas morning here in Iowa. But a quick Yueltide Newsflash to say that Tad, the brother of Jill - the friend I'm staying with here - has weaved his magic and apparently cured my laptop. Huzzah! So will probably be able to be back online properly in next 48hrs.Christmas present round-up so far includes: Dr Horrible's Singalongblog, Play-Doh, Chocolate Orange, sweat-shirt, afleece, US Writers' Guide, cash towards this break from parentals, poker...

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On Dec - 25 - 2008

BLEEDIN' COLD.

I'm now safely in Iowa. The stay at Yotel, Heathrow on Sunday night was fine, though for some explicable reason I noticed on Monday morning that my blackberry was set an hour laster than it should be, so I was up at 4:45am, not nearly 6:00 as planned. However, I'd given myself plenty of time anyway, so it was an mild annoyance more than anything else.The queues at Terminal 4's Northwst desk would quite easily have rivalled some of those for Disney theme park rides and I was in line for a good ninety...

[CLICK ENTRY TITLE TO READ FULL POST] - Posted by JOHN MOSBY

On Dec - 23 - 2008

HALLELUJAH, ANYWAY...

/************************************************ Snow Effect without images-by Kurt Grigg at http://www.btinternet.com/~kurt.grigg/javascript* Script featured & available at Dynamic Drive at http://www.dynamicdrive.com/* Please keep this notice intact***********************************************/You know when you discover something and it's just...yours? It's like that television show that only you are watching. (Well, of course, it's not JUST you - it's a you and a few million others and probably...

[CLICK ENTRY TITLE TO READ FULL POST] - Posted by JOHN MOSBY

On Dec - 20 - 2008

MISTLETOE & WHINE...

Four days before I leave for Iowa (today -14 degrees!) I think I have the vaguest sniffle of a cold. No, don't worry, I'm well aware of the classic irony.However plans are going to... plan. The main bag is almost all packed and though I'll go through it again on Saturday just to be anal-retentive completely sure, all the very essentials are accounted for and ready to roll. Just toiletries and some camera tech to go in there, nice and safely. I pack like a girl (which is good) but without the shoe...

[CLICK ENTRY TITLE TO READ FULL POST] - Posted by JOHN MOSBY

On Dec - 18 - 2008

COLD COMFORTS...

So, all being well (and me being well) at this point in a week's time I should be safely ensconsed in Iowa for the Christmas holidays or at least have touched down in Sioux Falls, complete with baggage. One look at www.wunderground.com (the weather site as endorsed by Moz) shows that there's a good chance it will be cold. Very cold. Warmth: nil point. Possibly double figures below and fallling. I'm imagining icicles hanging off my nose. Not an attractive image. Yes, I've packed thermals, thanks...

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On Dec - 16 - 2008

BRIDE AND PREJUDICE...

/************************************************ Snow Effect without images-by Kurt Grigg at http://www.btinternet.com/~kurt.grigg/javascript* Script featured & available at Dynamic Drive at http://www.dynamicdrive.com/* Please keep this notice intact***********************************************/After a long time resisting, I actually have a Facebook account (blame David Fury) and though I've got quite a few old, new and very interesting friends on my list there and have rediscovered a fair amount...

[CLICK ENTRY TITLE TO READ FULL POST] - Posted by JOHN MOSBY

On Dec - 13 - 2008

LET THEM EAT CAKES...

Well, I was back at actual 'work' for the first time yesterday and it didn't prove too much of a strain. Being able to work form home has meant that my Impact duties at the office were merely looking over what had been done and making small corrections/changes as needed. Even managed to sort out the budget. Neal and the team have done a good job with #205. It'll look great. Please buy! :)In other news, I tried to describe my life-saving Jaffa Cakes to Jill and failed miserably until she looked them...

[CLICK ENTRY TITLE TO READ FULL POST] - Posted by JOHN MOSBY

On Dec - 10 - 2008

LOOKING A-HEAD...

I went to my doctor on Friday for a check-up and he's given me the all-clear to fly off in two weeks' time. As he pointed out, I'm at that annoying stage of recovery where I'm largely all repaired but at the edge of still needing to be a bit careful/ being too careful. He's basically said that it can take weeks and months to actually FEEL 100% again and to simply act appropriately to how I feel. I'm still sleeping more than I did and sometimes grabbing an hour's sleep in the evening. However I should...

[CLICK ENTRY TITLE TO READ FULL POST] - Posted by JOHN MOSBY

On Dec - 08 - 2008

FLAKES ON A TRAIN...

/************************************************ Snow Effect without images-by Kurt Grigg at http://www.btinternet.com/~kurt.grigg/javascript* Script featured & available at Dynamic Drive at http://www.dynamicdrive.com/* Please keep this notice intact***********************************************/Well, peh. Today was going to be my first proper day out doing stuff after November's brainfart and I was all set to go to London to do some press stuff with Samuel L Jackson and Frank Miller for The...

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On Dec - 04 - 2008

IT'S A BUG'S LIFE...

For the last week I've been having problems with my laptop. No, no... this isn't another PC World rant. But it did seem I picked up a computer virus that randomly redirected all Yahoo and Google searches to sites I'd never heard of or particularly want to. I sort advice at the http://www.computing.net/ forum they talked me through some step-by-step ways to find out exactly what was causing it and towards some downloadable solutions. It felt like jumping through hoops and sometimes frustratingly...

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On Dec - 01 - 2008

UNWARRANTED SYMPTOMS...

Still sleeping more than usual and grabbing forty winks as and when I can (I think there may have been fifty WINKS today, but the exchange rate fluctuates a bit). The legs feel a lot better and only the general fatigue and neck-ache makes me feel yucky. So, all things considered, doing remarkably well. Go, me.Except. PC World. Yes, true believer, the company only mildly less annoying than a haemorrhage are back to their normal level of ineptitude. When I got this new laptop I took out their extended...

[CLICK ENTRY TITLE TO READ FULL POST] - Posted by JOHN MOSBY

On Nov - 27 - 2008

FOOD FOR THOUGHT...

I've been able to lessen the pain-killers dosage and also walk about a bit, so I'm happy with my progress, even if I still ache. My friend Dina put me onto Diclofenac diethylammonium, but I prefer to refer to it by its brand name which is Voltarol (mainly because I think it sounds like a cool Transformer), It's an anti-inflammatory cream which has really helped with the damage to my sciatic nerve. Add to the dose a couple of basic paracetamol and I'm doing fine-ish.Also I got a funny card and best...

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On Nov - 23 - 2008

MAGnificent

Despite me being off ill for the last two weeks, the latest issue of Impact got off to the printers approximately on time. I'd done most of my existing work prior to Hallowe'en and the only articles I couldn't provide were Thought Bubble coverage and the Leverage piece - both of which will now feature in #205.The unconventional but stylish cover was a bit of a battle to keep but I think it will work well with genre fans. I generally think Impact needs to tilt to a more older audience and this Watchmen...

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On Nov - 18 - 2008

RECOVERY POSITION (2)

A week on and the headaches are fading and the pain in my legs is starting to subside a bit (as little as 72hrs ago I could barely get out of bed). However I'm making good progress on my complete West Wing box-set and have given myself over to Jaffa Cakes as the recovery food of choice. I'm also getting to the point where I can type more and start putting together some material for Impact, though I won't physically be going into the office for a while yet.I've been watching with sadness the wildfires consuming parts of Los Angeles (most of the people I know seem to be sufficently away from the...

[CLICK ENTRY TITLE TO READ FULL POST] - Posted by JOHN MOSBY

On Nov - 18 - undefined

RECOVERY POSITION (1)

Quick update: The headaches have lessened quite a bit, but I'm still having major problems with balance and walking and the whole legs 'not really working the way they're supposed to' thing. The mind is firing on all cylinders, but the body feels like it's taken a beating. Which I guess is exactly what's happened.It seems that it's most likley that the convulsions last weekend threw something out in my back or trapped a nerve. Didn't notice it at first as the head hurts were the most pressing pressure, but this whole agony thing isn't half what it's cracked up to be.Takes all the fun out of r...

[CLICK ENTRY TITLE TO READ FULL POST] - Posted by JOHN MOSBY

On Nov - 09 - 2008

OUT OF MY HEAD...

I think it was Mark Twain who said “Rumours of my death have been greatly exagge…wait, George Michael? What the heck are you doing in my living room?”So. Deep breath. Breathe In. Breathe Out. Repeat.Ignore the half-skulled man in the previous Hallowe'en post below from October 31st. The following day, November 1st, was one of the most f*cking scary moments in my entire life - and remember, I’m a guy who has so far lived through being nearly fatally poisoned, shot, threatened and interviewing Britney...

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On Nov - 06 - 2008

HALLOWS BE THY NAME...

I haven't been out for drinks with local friends in quite a while, so when Sabrina Peyton (who I know through Millarworld and Thought Bubble) mentioned a Hallowe'en party at the FAB Cafe in Leeds I decided I might as well let my hair down (while I still can) and even get into the fancy-dress side of it.One thing I love about Americans is the enthusiastic way that they throw themselves into the holiday spirit. I've always been a bit envious about the fun and gusto that people like Kerry have put...

[CLICK ENTRY TITLE TO READ FULL POST] - Posted by JOHN MOSBY

On Nov - 01 - 2008

Old Brand New Who.

So, it must have been an interesting week to be a fly on the wall of the BBC.Chatshow presenter Jonathan Ross, a guest on unsuccessful wannabee-libertine (but successful self-publicising idiot) Russell Brand's radio show, decide they should both ring up veteran actor Andrew Sachs when he doesn't do a scheduled interview and leave a message on his answer-phone. This turns into the kind of rant/message that includes the men giggling over how Brand may have 'fucked Sachs' grand-daughter' on a previous...

[CLICK ENTRY TITLE TO READ FULL POST] - Posted by JOHN MOSBY

On Oct - 29 - 2008

CLASS ACTION...

I'm tired. It's been a busy week. Well, given recent weeks at least.Tuesday I had a doctor's appointment (nothing serious, I'll live)Wednesday was the first of my National School Film Week presentations and I was up early to get to the cinema in Bradford for about 9:45am. This was for This is England, the 2006 film about a young kid growing up in 1980s Britain and becoming involved with a group of skinheads. I hadn't seen it on general release and though not easy viewing, it's got some good performances...

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On Oct - 25 - 2008

JOE COOL AID

It was a very good/bad week to be called Joe if you live in the US. The funniest Palin since Michael (intentional or not) was referring to Joe Six-Pack; McCain was referring to Joe Lieberman; Obama was talking up Joe Biden and then everyone was discussing Joe the Plumber. The irony being that the latter Joe, who'd complained to Obama on camera about tax increases for the reasonably wealthy, apparently isn't even a registered plumber and is so far behind on paying taxes that a) he wouldn't even be...

[CLICK ENTRY TITLE TO READ FULL POST] - Posted by JOHN MOSBY

On Oct - 18 - 2008

Talkin' about a resolution!

There's an old saying in our family. Actually it's a relative new one, but it still rings true. It goes: 'Don't Mess with a Moz' (It's like Galaxy Quest's ' never retreat, never surrender...' maxim, but from a more wuthering climate)We Mosbys are a reasonable, easy-going bunch but if people mess with us or people we know, we tend to stand our ground and not give in to pressure. It's not opportunistic, but if there's a time we KNOW we're being short-changed or taken advantage of, we don't give in...

[CLICK ENTRY TITLE TO READ FULL POST] - Posted by JOHN MOSBY

On Oct - 13 - 2008

Finances on Ice.

So, like many people I'm watching the financial chaos which seems to be gripping most of the world and shows no sign of abating any time soon, bail-outs or not.This is where things get interesting...Currently there's a big argument in the UK because a lot of our local councils and businesses have stored or invested their money in banks in Iceland. Iceland banks just froze (irony?) a lot of their banks' dealings and so the UK is demanding their deposited money back - because frankly, without those...

[CLICK ENTRY TITLE TO READ FULL POST] - Posted by JOHN MOSBY

On Oct - 10 - 2008

Cinema Dazed.

Well, just got back from Cinema Days where I got to see about twelve upcoming films and seem to have developed eye-strain and over-tiredness. Perhaps the two are connected?The films varied in quality, though there were no truly outstanding movies. Some were quite good (Ghost Town, Clubbed, Lakeview Terrace, Easy Virtue, Slumdog Millionaire, Inkheart), some were okay but a tad disappointing given their cast and potential (What Just Happened, Body of Lies) and others were so dreadful that I wouldn't recommend them to anyone (the worst of which was the deeply unpleasantly bizarre Surveillance - a...

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On Oct - 06 - 2008

(BATTLE)STARS AND GRIPES

It's been one of those weeks where people have been amazingly helpful or rat-bastard idiots from the planet Arse. (Otherwise known as PC World).Let's get the necessary rat-bastardiness out of the way by laughing heartily and crying softly at the PC World complaints liasion who told me that if I didn't like the fact I'd have to wait for a written response to my attempts to halt my ongoing problems and complaints then I should... write a letter to them explaining my grievances. I swear I nearly reached...

[CLICK ENTRY TITLE TO READ FULL POST] - Posted by JOHN MOSBY

On Sep - 29 - 2008

AVAST ANNOYANCE.

Apparently it was just 'Talk like a Pirate' Day. Why are these days so popular... I don't know, they just arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.*ahem*But talking about pirates, the PC World/lost laptop situation stumbles ever forward. I've now been recompensed for the actual new laptop I bought. It doesn't take into account the TWO WEEKS I've had to wait for a refund on my credit card, nor the 4+ hrs of phone-calls, curtailed travel and general incompetence at every level, so I'm pursuing further compensation...

[CLICK ENTRY TITLE TO READ FULL POST] - Posted by JOHN MOSBY

On Sep - 21 - 2008

QUE SERA, SARAH C.

A couple of the bulletin boards I'm on have been talking about the new TV season's offerings and some of the attention has been on the returning Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. For me it's one of the most annoying programmes, only because I WANT to like it: it has a great premise, some decent performances, a truck-load of mythology to draw from and yet... and yet, if feels so damned lazy.I appreciate I'm not a TV writer - sure, I think I've got one in me somewhere, but with the Impact duties,...

[CLICK ENTRY TITLE TO READ FULL POST] - Posted by JOHN MOSBY

On Sep - 17 - 2008

THE MIRROR COVER'D

Okay, a public service announcement for anyone who might be confused:RIGHT: My brother's debut novel from a few years backLEFT: NOT my brother's debut novel... from a few days ago.I'm reliably informed the interiors are different...

[CLICK ENTRY TITLE TO READ FULL POST] - Posted by JOHN MOSBY

On Sep - 15 - 2008

LESS IS MOORE

Yesterday was a long day. I went down to London (where surprisngly the sun was shining) to do an interview with Alan Moore. For those who don't know the name he's the guy who originally wrote Watchmen and V for Vendetta, two of the biggest / most controversial comcis ever produced. He has a reputation for being opinionated and has fallen out with Hollywood numerous times (sometimes understandbly) and given his Hell's Angel like frame /unfeasibly bushy beard, I was a tad nervous.I needn't have worried....

[CLICK ENTRY TITLE TO READ FULL POST] - Posted by JOHN MOSBY

On Sep - 14 - 2008

COLLISION, DAMAGE, WAVER

The laptop saga ("This time it's personal... computer") continues, though at least someone seems to be on the actual case. As I suspected the refund will take some extra days to come through but one of the tech people at PC World is at least trying to establish exactly what happened, why and how I'm further compensated - added to the fact that he doesn't think I'll get my hard-drive (or e-mails) back as they can't even find the damn machine or track where it went. Apparently all the problems may...

[CLICK ENTRY TITLE TO READ FULL POST] - Posted by JOHN MOSBY

On Sep - 09 - 2008

Lap of the Gods. SUPPOSEDLY

So, I'm typing on a new laptop. An ACER 5920 for those who want to byte off more than they can chew. :)Of course, it wasn't - and maybe still isn't - that simple. Because of the whole 'replacement operating procdure' and the fact I wasn't prepared to wait for the crdit note/vouchers to take days to come through, I've had to pay for this laptop (£399-ish) upfront. What is SUPPOSED to happen is that the vouchers should be sent to PC World and the manager will then cash those in and recredit my VISA...

[CLICK ENTRY TITLE TO READ FULL POST] - Posted by JOHN MOSBY

On Sep - 06 - 2008

Lap (Top) Dancing.

Further adventures in Lap-topping...My laptops always seem to cause me problems. Though the untold benefit of having access to a computer while travelling is, well, untold.. they always seem to develop faults and those faults seem to be compounded by when they happen and how easy they are to get sorted.Earlier this year I think I blogged about problems with the keyboard and the fact it took two weeks to send away and repair. Ha! The good old days. I noticed the minute the laptop came back from repair...

[CLICK ENTRY TITLE TO READ FULL POST] - Posted by JOHN MOSBY

On Sep - 05 - 2008

Between a Rock' and a hard place.

Spent a day in London as Warner Bros. launched Rocknrolla on an unsuspecting public - well, probably quite suspecting as the public knows what to expect from a Guy Ritchie film and his last couple haven't done that well. However this is the guy (sic) that brought the world Lock, Stock... and Snatch so there's a certain kind of film that he does well if you like your gangster-chic to be of the cockney dramedy style.The film is actually fairly good as long as you know what to expect and the likes...

[CLICK ENTRY TITLE TO READ FULL POST] - Posted by JOHN MOSBY

On Sep - 02 - 2008

CONVENTIONALLY SPEAKING...

The DVD sleeves for HLWW are now finally done and dusted, though there'll be another set of designs to do in the near future. The current batch are covering much of the 2007 Vancouver event and took a little longer to do than I'd anticIpated because of other commitments and a changed schedule of release. However I'm pleased with the unique branding & packaging and the five separate titles should be on sale soon via the official site.I tried to stay awake to watch the Obama acceptance speech...

[CLICK ENTRY TITLE TO READ FULL POST] - Posted by JOHN MOSBY

On Aug - 29 - 2008

I ENDORSE THIS AD...

If you have any spare Vice, I'll definitely be your President...Vote or Die!codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" WIDTH="384" HEIGHT="304"&...

[CLICK ENTRY TITLE TO READ FULL POST] - Posted by JOHN MOSBY

On Aug - 24 - 2008

Just Doe It..!

It's been one of those 'blah' weeks where little things kept going wrong - nothing earth shattering or cataclysmic, merely a minor series of chores and irritations that I could easily have done without. However any week you can walk away from is a good one. And hey, I won £5 on the lottery - that'll go in the travel fund jar. Go, me... well, eventually!I've also just about finished the designs for the next series of HLWW DVDs which I'll put up on the site when they officially launch them next month...

[CLICK ENTRY TITLE TO READ FULL POST] - Posted by JOHN MOSBY

On Aug - 23 - 2008