Pirates of the Caribbean 3 .. my evaluation

First off. Keith Richards - legendary - did he even realise he was in the Movie ? Second off. Johnny Depp - legendary - beautiful - performed past my expectations.

I read an interview with Johnny Depp, he was absolutely in awe of Keith Richards and said he found it much much easier to be with Keith when he was in character as Jack Sparrow, because when he was out of character he would become all starry eyed.

The movie ? For starters as you might have read below, I had to sit at the very front row of the cinema, which meant I was literally looking up the noses of everyone on the screen and had to tilt my head backwards and forwards and side to side to see the whole screen. In fact there were several times throughout the film where I actually started choking on my saliva, at one point having a coughing fit ... true story.

All that being said, I loved the film. I am not one to critique films as to their technical nature, I judge on entertainment value. I was thoroughly entertained. Just as I was on the two previous films. (Hey this is coming from someone who thoroughly enjoyed every Matrix film too).

The makers of the film pulled out all the stops, in terms of surprises and costumes and special effects and epic battles and sword fights. Each of the main characters had a personal quest and each on the outside seemed determined and sure of themselves. Each that is except Jack Sparrow, who as we expect seems to bumble through his life, tripping up on his feet, like a cat that falls off a sky scraper but lands on its feet. Of course the upshot is that Jack is really the only character in control and able to manipulate and swing everything to his liking - in some instances to the advantage of his buddies.

This film is a film to enjoy, to sit down and laugh at the humour (of which there is plenty), to jolt in your seat at the canons and the ships and the adventures. There are definite plots that one must follow along with, but it's not a necessity to understand these plots to enjoy the entire film, besides you can read online on any of the 1000's of blogs/forums set up to discuss the plots, to understand what they are.

My favourite sequence is of hallucinating Jack Sparrow - it was at that moment that Johnny Depp (who already was a favourite), stamped his mark on my list of most favourite actors. His talent in that sequence was incredible and believable and showed he has a very remarkable talent at comedy.

So basically I say .. GO SEE THE MOVIE .. I am going to .. again ..

FREAKY FRIDAY

Could it get any freakier.

Last night was Amanda's Birthday. So a group of us planned to go watch Pirates 3 at Southbank, then go for dinner afterward. As it was the second day of release we decided to book our tickets online. All was well, All was well.

PART 1
It started on my way to the city. I kinda ran through an orange light and as I always do when I do that, I look in the rear mirror to see if any cars are following, you know, just in case I need to slam on the brakes. I spotted this car coming through the recently turned red light, crazy crazy car ! All of a sudden it goes burning past me with people hanging out the window waving ---- it was Jenny and Ursula and Amanda (part of the group I am to meet up with), crazy ! Anyways all the way into the city Jenny proceeds to cut me off every chance she can get, I tell ya, if I didn't know her I'd totally do a road rage incident on her.

Anyways we get to the city, they take off in the opposite direction to get a park. I find my parking spot and make my way to the cinema, a little later than I hoped only 45mins before the movie. We wanted to get there a bit earlier to get good seats. Looking at the board I see Pirates 3 is all sold out for the rest of the night, luckily we bought our tickets online ay! As I am waiting inside the door for the rest of the group, Amanda the birthday girl rings on her mobile.
"Trudy, pirates is all sold out!"
"yeah I saw that, luckily we have tickets"
"Oh, do you have tickets"
"Uh, yeah, remember we were buying them online"
"Oh, how many did you get"
"um, only 2, 1 for Glin, remember I called and you said Jenny was buying yours"
"oh, we didn't buy any, we just thought we would get here early and take our chances"
"what!? you don't have tickets, um where are you anyways ? I am in the foyer"
"we are in the foyer"

I quickly do a scan over the crowd and see the girls so hang up and head over.
Then a crazy discussion ensues about what our options are. Finally Ursula gets on the phone and gets her hubby to buy tickets at another cinema to a session that starts 1/2 an hour after this one.

"Trudy just come to the other session"
"I bought my ticketes online they are non-refundable and non-transferrable, I also have to wait for Glin, he's isn't here yet"
"Oh"
"yeah, so you guys go see the movie at the other cinema and me and Glin will head over there after this one is finished and we'll get something to eat."
"okay, bye !"

So that's sorted. Mama Mia ! Anyways it's 6.15, it's Friday Night, it's busy, the session starts in 5mins. Er where is Glin ? I call Glin who is stuck in traffic coming up from the Gold Coast, he will be at least another 10mins. So much for getting good seats eh, he apologises in advance for the crook neck we will get from sitting in the front.

I decide to go and validate my online tickets, look in my bag and discover I didn't bring the receipt. Go to the ticket box and explain my dilemma. It seems I am not the only forgetful person, a lady in the front has the same problem. The ticket box people proceed to look for her booking and can't find it. I think great now they won't find mine either. They give up on hers and decide she didn't really book anything online .. Then it's my turn .. dun dun .. YAY they found my booking and promptly get my tickets. Now just to wait and wait for Glin.

In the meantime I call Amanda to make sure they made it to the other cinema ontime as they were a bit unsure of where "Hawthorne" was. She says YES we are here and all is good ! Great ! glad they are sorted. Now where is Glin.

Finally Glin comes running in the door, as he does so, so does Sonya who had wanted to see the movie too. She looks up "oh, it's all sold out". "no kidding". Sonya decides to go shopping instead.

So Glin and I head into the movie to the front row and get settled for crooked necks.

PART 2
The movie ends, I enjoyed it! (I'll give a review later). I look at my phone and see Amanda left a message "we are at Balmoral". Huh, I thought they went to Hawthorne. Anyways Glin and I make our way over to Balmoral. When we get there we don't see any people, but figure their movie started 1/2 an hour after ours so it should take that long to get out. After waiting for a little bit people start streaming out of one of the cinemas. They must be in this group! We wait and watch the crowd disperse and wait. Noone we know emerges. I say to Glin, I hope they aren't the type of people who wait until the end of the credits. Glin then spots Catherine lingering up by the door of the cinema, then she walks back inside. I sigh "they ARE the type of people to wait until the end of the credits". Then I remember, Pirates! there's always something at the end of the credits, we forgot to wait at our session. Finally the girls emerge and tell me what happens at the end of the credits, d'oh.

We head off to the Coffee Club to get something to eat, food is good, company is good, it's heading close to midnight. Glin gets up and does something I'm not entirely sure what at the time. Comes back and bids us all adieu, he has to work early in the morning (poor suckers who work weekends). The rest of us continue to chat for a little bit longer. We then get up to pay our bill. I notice as everyone pays their bits that all of Glins stuff is still outstanding. I look at the guy at the register,

"excuse me, those items there, are they still unpaid for?"
"yes ma'am"
"oh, you mean Glin left without paying, no way!"
"um, I don't know who Glin is but they aren't paid for"
"I can't believe Glin wouldn't pay"

.. I hurriedly ring Glin,

"hey Glin, you know your bill, did you pay for it?"
"yes, actually I paid for everyone as a surprise"
"OH! you did ? errr, but we just paid for ours"
"No, I paid for the whole table, to a blonde guy"
"yeah the blonde guy who is taking our money now"

.. The blonde guy recalls a gentleman paying for a table, but not ours.

"glin! they made you pay for another table"
.. it's so hilarious we all crack up laughing.
"don't worry Glin I'll sort it out, thanks for paying for us ! er them !"

So that was our freaky friday, which was Amanda's birthday. We all went to see Pirates 3 at different cinemas and paid for another tables meal.

BUT IT WAS A GREAT NIGHT !

purple

My favourite colour has always and will always be purple. I have often wondered why I like the colour purple. To me it's a rich, bright colour, whatever contrast it might be in. I think it looks regal, which is probably why it's a regal colour. There is noone who can look dull when wearing purple, even if it's a pair of purple socks.

My most earliest memory of the colour purple was actually Donny Osmond and his purple socks, which followed quickly by Prince and his purple jacket in his "1999" video. Even James Brown had a liking for purple. If I could get married in anything besides white, I'd pick purple. In fact I'm pretty sure I'll be jealous of my bridesmaids being able to wear my favourite colour.

The more I have been thinking about some people this week - the more I feel inclined to sing Prince's Purple Rain out loud.

I never meant 2 cause u any sorrow
I never meant 2 cause u any pain
I only wanted 2 one time see u laughing
I only wanted 2 see u laughing in the purple rain

Purple rain purple rain
Purple rain purple rain
Purple rain purple rain

I only wanted 2 see u bathing in the purple rain

I never wanted 2 be your weekend lover
I only wanted 2 be some kind of friend
Baby I could never steal u from another
Its such a shame our friendship had 2 end

Purple rain purple rain
Purple rain purple rain
Purple rain purple rain

I only wanted 2 see u underneath the purple rain

Honey I know, I know, I know times are changing
Its time we all reach out 4 something new
That means u 2
U say u want a leader
But u cant seem 2 make up your mind
I think u better close it
And let me guide u 2 the purple rain

Purple rain purple rain
Purple rain purple rain

If you know what Im singing about up here
Cmon raise your hand

Purple rain purple rain

I only want 2 see u, only want 2 see u
In the purple rain



actually the whole point of this topic was so I had a valid excuse to paste the cheesey purple thingy above. I'm feeling very cheesey lately.

to eat or not to eat ...

Guess what it is .. go on .. try ..

If you answered pancakes, you would be correct ! That my friends is called a Jaffa/Orange Pancake. From The Pancake Manor. Does it look bad ? Does it look like someone who is on a diet should be eating it? I mean it does have oranges .....

Now guess what the following is ... go on try ..



It's a cake ! I made it .. a milk sponge cake covered with buttermilk frosting . .and chocolate sprinkly bits ..

I told a friend I would take a cake to his birthday party and that was my creation. Suffice to say, during the making of the cake I started a fire in the oven. I kinda didn't have a big enough pan for the cake and it spilled onto the elements and lit up. So one part of the cake was burn't literally, but I covered it in icing and took it anyways .. hah .. and surprisingly it all got ate ..

My goal is to make cakes that look as delicious as Darlene's! go check her cakes out .. I have a link to the right ..

SAVE NET RADIO !

Please one and all you need to rally your congressmen and all that stuff .. if not for you .. for me .. http://www.savenetradio.com
Tim Webster of Pandora explains it all in this short 11min video below.

LET IT CONTINUE ! I implore you. GIVE BACK MY PANDORA.

ps. that Tim Webster is kinda cute dontcha think.



The SaveNetRadio Coalition
The future of Internet radio is in immediate danger. Royalty rates for webcasters have been drastically increased by a recent ruling and are due to go into effect on July 15 (retroactive to Jan 1, 2006!). If the increased rates remain unchanged, the majority of webcasters will go bankrupt and silent on this date. Internet radio needs your help!

Ah the Serenity

I remember when I was younger. I'd watch older folk and think .. man .. when I'm older I'm not going to change. I'm still gonna do all this stuff I do now.

Yesterday I discovered I'm older. Yesterday I went to Movie World. Back in my spritely younger days I can remember going to theme parks and running around 100k's an hour from ride to ride, making sure I got on the scariest ones first, making sure I went more than once, making sure I always got in the front carriages. Yesterday, my friends and I walked around leisurely, enjoying the little shops with the t'shirts and trinkets with warner bros characters plastered all over them. We waited patiently in lines and chatted about things. We bought ice cream and sat on the benches in the main street, the benches under the shade, and watched the younger folk running backwards and forwards from ride to ride, chuckling to ourselves at their craziness. We even brought a picnic lunch and sat under a tree and ate it. Instead of getting the greasy hot dogs and hamburgers with fizzy drink, available for the price of an arm and a leg.

Twas a really relaxing day at one of the biggest theme parks on the Gold Coast. It's so cool getting old.


Last night we celebrated Cinco De Mayo. Don't ask me exactly what it is. But gosh I love mexican food. Too bad I couldn't eat most of it, on account of my diet and all that. Actually I couldn't eat any of it. But I did. I just couldnt go past the guacamole chips. We even had a pinata, not quite a donkey but a unicorn, which really is related to donkeys you know, except for the growth coming out of their forehead. Happy ! Mexico Cinco De Mayo day! I should really look it up to see what it's all about. Does anyone know ?

Pandora .. oh Pandora

I received a beautiful email today from the Pandora folk. Their prose and wording nearly made me cry into my keyboard, their apparent regret at having to shut off my access to their service pulled at the heart strings.

I am saddened to be losing these great friends. I am saddened I will no longer be able to have access to great music new and old. You USA folk sure are lucky you know that .. I hope you never ever take for granted the wonderful opportunities you have at your finger tips merely for being USA citizens.

Sigh.

Pandora I'm gonna miss ya.

Dear Pandora listener,

Today we have some extremely disappointing news to share with you. Due to international licensing constraints, we are deeply, deeply sorry to say that we must begin proactively preventing access to Pandora's streaming service for most countries outside of the U.S.

It is difficult to convey just how disappointing this is for us. Our vision remains to eventually make Pandora a truly global service, but for the time being, we can no longer continue as we have been. As a small company, the best chance we have of realizing our dream of Pandora all around the world is to grow as the licensing landscape allows.

We show your IP address is '***.***.***.**', which indicates you are listening from Australia. If you believe you are seeing this by mistake, we offer our sincere apologies and ask that you please reply to this email.

Delivery of Pandora is based on proper licensing from the people who created the music - we have always believed in honoring the guidelines as determined by legislators and regulators, artists and songwriters, and the labels and publishers they work with. In the U.S. there is a federal statute that provides this license for all the music streamed on Pandora. Unfortunately, there is no equivalent license outside the U.S. and there is no global licensing organization to enable us to legitimately offer Pandora around the world. Other than in the U.K., we have not yet been able to make significant progress in our efforts to obtain a sufficient number of international licenses at terms that would enable us to run a viable business. The volume of listening on Pandora makes it a very expensive service to run. Streaming costs are very high, and since our inception, we have been making publishing and performance royalty payments for every song we play.

Until now, we have not been able to tell where a listener is based, relying only on zip code information provided upon registration. We are now able to recognize a listener's country of origin based on the IP address from which they are accessing the service. Consequently, on May 3rd, we will begin blocking access to Pandora to listeners from your country. We are very sad to have to do this, but there is no other alternative.

We will be posting updates on our blog regarding our ongoing effort to launch in other countries, so please stay in touch. We will keep a record of your existing stations and bookmarked artists and songs, so that when we are able to launch in your country, they will be waiting for you. We deeply share your sense of disappointment and greatly appreciate your understanding.


-Tim Westergren
(Pandora founder)
This is a one time account message

finally

A pic of my new niece .. she's in New Zealand ..