BlackLOG: Chick flicks and chocolate

Another day another concert Photo pass, although a little bit more contemporary this time – Yes folks I’ve broken out of my 80’s artist rut but I’m probably not heading for the big time….. A big thanks to my friend Al who sorted out the pass for a recent gig at the Garage in Highbury -

While Ian Siegal and his support David Migden (Vocals) with Joe Gibson (on Guitar) are not the biggest names in the music industry they play decent blues music and provided an enjoyable evening out. I had not come across David Migden (An American singer who hails from deep down south. At times I felt like I had drifted into an episode of True Blood – only without the bloodsuckers, shape changers and fairies… ) I was blown away by his voice – why not check it out Chocolate Jesus with David Migden

Cactus (Cheap As Chips TUeSday)
I’ve probably mentioned it before but Tuesday nights is CACTUS in Bishop’s Stortford. You can see any 2D Film for £3.25 and 3D film for £4.50 (boo hiss) which is a really good deal but it does sometimes end up with either seeing rubbish films you would never pay full price to see or watching films in extreme discomfort …. The last two films have fallen into the latter category (poor old Mrs B with her enforced working from home has got dragged along to both of these).

First up was “The Great Gatsby”. Fortunately we managed to avoid the 3D version but due to a cock up on the booking front, i.e. I didn’t realise how popular it was going to be, saw us stuck in the second row. I’m very much a ‘back of the cinema’ person, where you can watch the whole screen unfold before you. It was bad enough having Leonardo de Caprio looming menacingly above us – I’ve only just stopped having nightmares of looking straight up his nostrils (someone should really tell his agent that he got to that age where nostril hair removal has become a daily necessity not just an occasional hobby) and that was only in 2D. I swear if we had been in the same seats for the 3D version I would have been scrapping mucus off of me for the rest of the week….. along with my nostril nightmare I found myself with a ricked neck from not just looking constantly up but having to swing my head from side to side to try and capture what was going on. It felt like I was watching a tennis game played at Hogwarts…. Such a shame as it took the gloss of an enjoyable film.

This was followed by the new Star Trek movie – This had been out for a while so no need to book in advance but the gods of the Silver Screen had conspired against me once again – the latest showing of the 2D version was about 5pm so the only choice left was the 3D version. Deep joy, a few drop outs because of the film being 3D but Mrs B decided to brave it, along with our ex Fireman friend Mark - who turned out to be a complete Trekie nerd. He pulled out details such as who the mother of JT Kirk’s offspring was and pointing out where Jim’s middle name Tiberius came from…. I would tell you but you would only go and claim I was a Trekie Nerd. I really liked the film, but struggled to see what 3D brought to the party. Yeah, there is a depth of field to the picture but the foreground ends up looking like some cheap cardboard. Things get a little better if the 3D film happens to be a medical drama, with half the people in the audience turning green and barfing it actually starts to look and smell like a hospital waiting room in the throes of an epidemic….

Late breaking news - as I have managed to take so long completing this blog we have seen another C.A.C.T.U.S film. This one was particularly painful for me - The Big Wedding - which is a RomCom just not a very good one. I had hoped I might get away with not seeing it and have a week off the choice being Hangover III (sensibly no voted for this one) or this... Sadly the Chick Flick girls Al* (I can't be cross with her as she secured me the photo pass) and my Italian friend Elena (being foreign she doesn't know any better) voted for this one. All the males on the C.A.C.T.U.S kept their heads down and even Mrs B decided to give it a miss....It started off OK, a little smutty even for my taste but not too bad. Sadly it got progressively worse until I managed to save my sanity by falling asleep.

* Al is the inspiration behind this weeks Blog title, happy to turn up to any film as long as it is action, horror and adventure free**. and is accompanied by lashings of chocolate... I of course never indulge unless Mrs B :-

A) is not around...

B) is not likely to find out that I have over indulged again

C) Has already read this blog before the late breaking news secion was added

D) is unlikely to re-read the blog....

** I was going to be cruel and say comedy free but Al insisted on us seeing "I give it A year" a few months back which turned out to be a complete winner....

Flat lining, speeding to an early exit
Some sad news this week. My favourite ever skis, my “Head 1400i XRCs”, have bitten the dust – these sweet little rides propelled me to 75.9 mph a couple of years back, in Chompoluc (Italy) – my fastest ever recorded time. In truth I had been eeking them out for the last couple of seasons but felt I could have got a little longer out of them.... if only I had not been drawn in by the guy in the repair shop who claimed he could get the ski base almost as good as new (I had visions of 80+ mph)…. Like a fool I believed him (a real recipe for being duped, really, really wanting the impossible to be possible) so I guess I should not have been surprised when I received a call saying the last rights had been administered and the 1400i’s had flat lined during the final grinding process (I had asked him not to put them through a machine but to do it by hand) – …. At least he had the good grace not to charge me for taking my skis off Piste and onto Ski heaven….sniff, sniff…

A real treat for you next week - Mrs B will be contributing the speech she gave at her parents’ Golden wedding anniversary party.

Photo Finish