Zola

"Aliens" And the scene near the end where we have the Queen alien on one side of the room, and Ripley and Newt on the other. But it's when Ripley says "Get away from her you bitch!" really got my fists pumping while shouting "Yes!!!"

Websites that constantly update their terms & conditions. And this isn't just a couple of sentences, but usually pages and pages of legalese that no one outside of a lawyer's office would truly understand, but you have to pretend to have read it in order to click the "Accept" option. Of course you could choose to click "Reject", but then you lose access to the website and any apps the site hosts. So they've got you over a barrel.

I am currently watching "Brassic" here in the UK. It's quite funny, but to my surprise co-stars Dominic "McNulty" West as a doctor/shrink. Seems weird listening to him with his standard English accent, I keep on expecting him to say "What the fuck did I do?" I do find it hard watching films/tv shows of actors formerly from The Wire, chiefly because I see them as The Wire actors rather than the roles they're playing in the latest film/TV show. For example I recently watched John Wick, with Kenau Reeves, but also starring Lance "Daniels" Reddick. But his appearance was so brief blink and you would have missed it. And yet in The Wire he had a dominate role to play.

I erected a wooden garden gate over the weekend. It was only 3ft by 3ft, but I was worried about how to fix the fence posts, and to make sure the gate was wide enough to close/open properly. But after watching several YouTube videos I felt confident to do it myself rather than pay over the odds and get a professional to do it for me, it took me just over 2 hours to put it up, but I am really pleased with the end result.

So the UK put the clocks back an hour Sunday morning, and I was hoping for a really nice extra hour in bed. Instead, my stupid mind/brain decided that I should wake up at my usual time. And it didn't matter how hard I tried to convince my 4 brain cells, it still wouldn't let me enjoy that extra hour! This is an ongoing problem I have with all or part of my brain in that I can never overrule it. Instead it does its own thing and forces me to eat chocolate/cakes/junk food/wake up early etc, rather than doing the exact opposite. Perhaps the left side of my brain is saying one thing (eat cake!); while the right side is saying another (don't eat cake!). I just wish both sides would work together as a team and let me do what I want!

Those moments when you spend an evening in a pub and have a pressing desire to pee! However, when you go to the ladies loo there is only 2 cubicles, both of which are occupied, and there's a queue of other women standing around with their legs crossed trying to not think about what they desperately need to do!

The clocks go back this coming Sunday (27th). and it really is a PITA to have to go round adjusting every clock, watch, whatever in my house. Sometimes I wonder if this whole daylight saving hassle is really worth the bother! ***** NOTE- You guys in North America don't change your clocks until November 3rd!! Whereas here in the UK it's happening on the 27th October. So don't go changing anything until the 3rd 😀

I love the opening scenes and dialogue to "Blood Simple" always sends a shiver down my spine ... It's that ominous final statement that really sets the mood for me, even before the film has really kicked in. Just shows that visuals can be trumped by some excellent writing.

TV Sports programmes that air at least an hour before the actual game starts! It really does my head in to have to put up with an hour of people bigging a particular game up with loads of fillers, interviews, vacuous punditry & endless statistics etc etc. I do so wish such programmes could air 15 minutes before the game starts, or 30 minutes at a push!

Robert De Niro in "Midnight Run" Such a change of scene for a quality and well respected actor to move away from the drama/thriller genre to mild comedy!

Keyser Söze, from "The Usual Suspects" A great film, but the ending had me dropping my jaw to the floor and muttering "WTF, are you kidding me?"

I am a big fan of Herbie Hancock, and came across this old You Tube vid of him in concert, and a tune called "Silver Hollow" - I have to say I am total mesmerised by this every time I listen to it, especially when I am in bed or lying on my sofa of an evening.

Having an embarrassing itch at the most inconvenient of times! (I will not go into details)

When a popular website goes offline for whatever reason, you can guarantee its users will quickly post to a social media site complaining that "my <whatever> website is offline. Totally unacceptable. I need to post a photo of my baby smiling, and I can't do this now. What the hell is going on? This is the end of the world for me. I will never use <whatever> again..." Doesn't matter if its a shopping website, social media, a banking website etc. that goes offline, it's members don't half get into a hissy state when they can't log on!

Am currently engaged with S1 after a recommendation from a friend. Ironically enough I used to live in Birmingham, England where the show is based; and I have to say the accents in the show are rather bemusing compared to what I was used to when conversing to the locals just a few years back. Must admit it does show a lot of promise with some very interesting characters, not least for Sam Neil, who I have always admired for his film and TV work.

Have just been watching Season 2: 9 "Galileo" and the scene between Leo, Josh and Toby LEO What are you smiling at? (to Josh) JOSH Nothing, I just... Toby got the stamp assignment. TOBY Leo, I might need some help. LEO Take Josh. TOBY Thanks. Congratulations, Josh, you're choosing the next stamp. JOSH Wow, that happened fast. Such a simple but hugely amusing scene, not least for arrogant Josh to get his comeuppance! It just reminds me how great the writing was for this show.

National Lampoon's Animal House Always guaranteed to raise lots of smiles/laughs when you need it most. No plot to speak of, just vulgar jokes and slapstick moments throughout. Helped somewhat by the late-great John Belushi - the scene where he is up a ladder peaking into a girls'-only dorm room had me it stitches. Puerile filth at its non-pc best.

Visited my local library for the first time in a very long time, but despite the "Silence" notices on most of the floors, clearly this didn't register with some people as they carried on their conversations with people around them in normal voice. In fact there was one guy talking to someone on his mobile - but on speakerphone ffs! Moreover, because the reception was poor he kept on shouting down the phone rather than just taking it off speakerphone and holding it to his ear. I despair sometimes, I really do!

Fro some customers the real hassle is when you change providers (especially for broadband) is that you have to start off with a new modem/router and a whole bunch of new passwords and devices to configure - which is another reason why some people just don't bother to change.

The thing about Virgin Media is that if you threaten to cancel (once your contract is over), they will put you through to their retention's team, and will work out a new deal - usually by reducing your monthly bill by as much as 40 or 50% But I think they (and other providers) believe in what they call "customer apathy" - in other words despite the price rises most customers just can't be arsed to ring up and tell them where they can shove their extra £20pm! Its only those those that actively do so that make any savings. Oh, and as for "loyal customers"- what a crock of shit that is because you still get stung while providers offer sweet deals to newbies.

Some Empire cinemas in my neck of the woods have a habit of piping hot-dog/popcorn aromas through their aircon system just prior or during a film. They also have a tendency to ramp up the heating along with reducing the humidity, so not only do you feel hungry but also quite thirsty. Which equates to you spending a shedload for a dodgy burger and coke at a hugely inflated price!

You see your problem is that you speak perfect sense! However, in the real world of Virgin Media this logic doesn't compute: instead they just ramp up the prices whether you like what you already have or not.

Virgin Media - Now I know you guys in North America have never heard of these a'holes, but they provide the UK with internet broadband and 4K TV. But just lately (every 6 months) they ping out an email to their customers to announce yet another price rise! Their excuse is always the same - "to provide you with the best, fastest and most exclusive entertainment ever!" But the reality is totally different - same old $hit at inflated prices.

The term "can I get" really does my head in, chiefly because the person in question isn't really getting anything; its the person on the other side of the counter that will be doing that!

Probably my favourite song of theirs! Hard, heavy but with a very catchy chorus.