The scientific study of the effect ink has upon the retina

First published over at 330 Words, April 26th.

Two old people are chatting in the bathroom whilst outside the sun throws itself uselessly at the net curtains.

“Why can’t you leave me to pee in peace?”

“I’m just talking. What’s wrong with talking?”

“I need to pee. Can’t you give me a moment just to finish off? It always takes longer with you hovering there.”

“You always go off right in the middle of the conversation. I wasn’t finished.”

“I haven’t even started.”

“You know what I mean. You ask a question and then just as I’m giving you my opinion suddenly your bladder fills up or gives way.”

Outside a noise like concrete dragged over gravel shakes the house.

“Ah.”

“What? Did you hear that?”

“You miss him. You get like this when he goes.”

“He’s not… I don’t… I just wanted. He’ll be back by winter.”

“If he can get a flight.”

“Yes. Maybe we should have gone with him.”

“We would never be allowed fuel. Besides, we’d just weigh him down.”

“Would we? He could carry on as though we weren’t there. We don’t need entertaining.”

“Without him? What would be the point? We might get stranded out there. Then what would happen?”

“I hadn’t thought of that.”

“We can try if you really want to.”

“No. You’re right. It’s warm in here. Shall I open the window?”

“No. I can’t bear the noise. I’m nearly finished anyway.”

“Then we can sit downstairs again. Noise? What noise?”

“The balloons. They’re coming home.”

I spent my lunch watching some trailers to see if I could get excited about films again. It’s been such a long time since I saw anything worth, well, watching.

First up was The Informant. Stephen Soderbergh, when he has something to say, can be brilliant. When he doesn’t (which seems to be most of the time these days) he’s just unbearable. The Informant does, on the surface, appear to be the former.

Next I took a glance at Public Enemies. I’ve been seeing the advertising for it for the past week or two and I have to admit to liking Johnny Depp. Maybe he just reminds me of myself Normally Michael Mann films get on my nerves. They are always beautifully shot but somehow the style overtakes the substance. Miami Vice was tedious, Collateral was mostly engrossing and Heat (despite having great moments) just seemed to run away with itself. The PE trailer was lovely. I liked that it didn’t feel like a period drama but that it captured what felt like the mood of the time. Not being nearly a hundred, however, I’ll just own up to being taken along with the mood.

Whilst browsing I saw a poster for The Time Traveller’s Wife. Now this really could be a piece of shit in the vein of The Lake House. I loved the book. It was inventive and emotional. But somehow, put these concepts on to the screen and all you get is the superficial love story with few of the observations.

Zombieland was a title I’d never heard of. Pity it didn’t stay that way. Woody. What. The. Fuck?

I cannot believe it has been almost two years since my last post. Father forgive me. It may well happen again. You see, I have begun playing elsewhere.

Earlier this year I took on more responsibilities and so decided to start a company blog. That’s right – I’ve been using all my words for another site. They were all going to waste anyway, what with my laziness and all. I did start off with great intentions to write about the books I read but, well, I was too busy reading. I’m not even going to say I’ll start up again. It’s hard enough focussing on a company blog and making sure it’s relevant and interesting. And then I have to make sure people actually read it which means doing a lot of twittering, posting and shouting in public places. The plan next to knock on doors and hand people a Kindle with which to read the wise words therein.

Ok, after the fire, after the war and after the floods, I have decided to kickstart this blog for the Nth time with a series of short comments about whatever I’m reading at the moment. This is due, mainly to the fact that the RSS for this site is now being broadcast through some freak’s Facebook page.

Anyway, today I be mostly reading Hyperion by Dan Simmons. I’m up to book 2 (The Fall Of Hyperion) which just goes to show that I’m actually enjoying the hefty monster. It was a birthday present and a daunting one given that I don’t tend to go in for such high falutin space opera stuff. The first few pages made me groan under the weight of artificial constructs but then it all clicked into place and I was hooked.

More as it happens…

Sony’s recent release of the PlayStation 3 has been somewhat dampened by reports of poor sales and low turnouts. Even if the truth turns out to be completely different it poses a problem for Sony and raises questions about what it is the world is looking for in next-generation videogaming.

Sony’s presence in the high street and on the television appears to run counter to their claims that this console is something new, something amazing. The in-store presence is made up of lacklustre black boxes with an overly techy message – something clearly designed to aim straight for the early adopter (not a bad idea in itself given the exceptionaly high price point). If it were Sony launching into an empty field this would be the sensible message. The TV ads are typically off-the-wall – again, designed for the style-conscious out there. It all smacks of two things: 1) a closed club to which the general public is just not invited and 2) the same approach Sony took for mark 1 and 2 of the PlayStation brand. And it may have even worked again if it weren’t for the fact that gaming has grown up. Not just with the mass-market Nintendo Wii and it’s images of ordinary people holding on to their Wii-motes for dear life but also through the XBox 360 and it’s PC style gaming for the home user. Gaming has moved on in other ways also. Technology is becoming more veiled, shy of the throbbing beat of its Harley Davidson heart. Graphics are amazing all around and new advances, whilst applauded and even celebrated, are less of a pull (I venture to suggest) than in previous years.

As befits any wise old person, it’s experience that counts these days and Wii (with its unique take on control methods) and 360 (with its online connectivity and downloadable content) have beaten the PS3 to the spot by the fire. Sure, the PS3 is bigger but it’s not always a good thing when a fat lad sits in front of the telly.