I found out today that this ?new? computer of mine can?t play DVDs, and I?m gutted. I was going to treat myself to the Matrix DVD but I?ve had to go for the video instead. I almost never buy videos. In all my adult life, I?ve bought maybe twenty videos. Most of them have been either Eddie Izzard, or Newman and Baddiel (which shows you just how rarely I buy them).
I started to get into the whole DVD thing when I bought Spider-Man and then felt compelled to go buy everything else that Tobey Maguire has ever done, and I really can see the attraction now. It?s not that I don?t or didn?t like film – I love film. I used to go to the flicks almost every Monday, cos it was half-price, and I?d see whatever was on. Shallow Grave, Trainspotting, Speed, Stargate.
Oh yeah, seeing Speed sitting in the front row of the Screen on Baker Street was just fantastic. Talk about peripheral vision – that close to and the screen?s virtually wrap-around. Ah, those were the days. I worked just round the corner from the Tottenham Court Road screen, so it was all very convenient. Then I moved jobs (jumped just slightly before I was pushed), moved house (from the very convenient Tooting to the totally inconvenient and lacking in any advantages whatsoever Hounslow) and my movie going kinda slacked off a bit.
Now, of course, I?m here in urban isolation and organising a trip to the flicks is a major hassle. I should get into going on my own, but I really hate that. Kate and I went to see the second Harry Potter a while back, and fair near pissed ourselves laughing, particularly during some of the allegedly scary scenes. We were just howling, and I?m pretty sure that I wouldn?t have had that moment had I been on my own. I like to feed off the reactions of people around me, if you know what I mean.
My very first DVD ever was the Super Furry Animals? Rings Around The World album. I rarely play it though, mainly cos what?s the point? I have the album, and I play that a lot (it?s on right now, actually), but the DVD is just kinda a keepsake.
I actually only own six now, that and the five Tobey films I?ve managed to buy. What a collection! Film 2004 will be ringing me up and asking me to present just as soon as they find out.
And of course, as I?ve said before, I don?t have a DVD player. Although now the urge to max out my credit card and get one is stronger than ever. But I?m going to resist, because I need to save my pennies for America.
I didn?t manage to apply the same philosophy to the Matrix video though, no matter how much I hate the things. I mean, with all that annoying tape that goes all frilly and unwatchable as soon as you put them in the player. Horrid things.
But my need for a fix of Neo overcame my distaste and impecuniousness and I bought the video anyway. Once I?ve had my fill (i.e. when I have a DVD player and the Matrix DVD), I will take the poor wee thing, tuck a little note in the cover and set it free on a train somewhere, a la Book Crossing.
In other news today, I had a phone call from Radio Cymru (that?s a Welsh language radio station, in case you were wondering) and they want to interview me, in Welsh, about the competition for Welsh writers that I?m running along with Academi. My initial reaction was to immediately start cachu planciau, but I agreed to do it anyway, despite worrying that my Welsh isn?t up to it.
They?re going to call me at 1pm on Thursday and we?ll pre-record it on the phone. Which is fine by me – they?ll be able to edit out my long and painful pauses, and I?ll get the chance to think about what I want to say before I say it. I shall have to put together crib sheets so that if I freeze up I?ll still have something to say.
Mind you, I did a TV interview in Welsh last year, and that was fine, so I guess this will be too.
Right, I?m done here for the night. I?ve cracked open a bottle of white, and I?m going to sit down and spend a happy 130 minutes in the company of Neo.
Ta ra.
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