Knowing that the focus of software training for the rest of this term is Adobe After Effects - taught by a ‘new’ tutor, I got up early this morning to get to Racodac for 10:00 AM.

However, the ongoing problem with public transport saw me getting off at my stop at 10:17 AM and racing towards Racodac with Jordan A. for 10:30 AM. (Despite being scheduled for 10:00 AM, the previous tutor had us always arrive for 10:30 AM. So if today I was late, I could get away with saying that I assumed proceedings started at the later time.)

Anyway, we got there for 10:30 AM, but sat about with everyone for half an hour doing nothing. Then we were told that the tutor bloke wasn’t coming in until 1:30 PM so to come back then. This did annoy me slightly, but not as much as you’d expect. Maybe it was because I’ve been wearing my joint-second favourite pair of undies today. Or maybe not.

When the tutor (who looks like Tom Cruise in Vanilla Sky) arrived, he apologised for the delay and started the tutorial immediately. I have to say, I really like the bloke - probably because he knows what he’s talking about and talks with such passion. Not that the previous tutor didn’t, mind; she too was brilliant, I just knew her stuff already.

After the highly detailed tutorial, I left for home with Elliot S.

Now, this time last week (which I thought I’d blogged, but surprisingly didn’t), I waited at the bus stop with Elliot, my bus pulled up, but the driver didn’t let me on.

And the exact same thing happened again today, only Elliot, as he so put it: “wasn’t there 2 laugh this time though hehe!”. Goit.

I ended up watching Dude, Where’s My Car? with my big-little brother last night. And then I trawled through some tapes to find a Craig Charles recording from May 2004. And then I went on my computer for a wee while to reply to emails. And then I read some of my book. And then I got into bed. And then I had a bit of a kip. And then…

This morning, after an unexpected yet pleasant visit from my grandfather, I was subject of an experimental photoshoot executed by my father.

Observe.

I’ve not long returned from an evening at O’Neills with Matt L, who was supposed to be picking me up in his “beautiful car” at 7:00 PM, but didn’t, I must add, because he was already mildly drunk by midday. Instead, his mother kindly called by my house around that time, picked me up, then dropped us both off right outside the venue for our (scratch that) his heavy drinking session.

I only stayed for a couple of hours, as although I enjoyed his company, I didn’t much enjoy being there. Don’t get me wrong, of all the public houses I’ve been to (although that’s admittedly not many), O’Neills is my clear favourite. I suppose I just wasn’t expecting it to be quite as busy & noisy so early on. Still, we had a great laugh and even got to touching each other’s legs once we finally found somewhere to sit.

We also saw Pete B. from the RWS days there, so together had a bit of a three-way(!) catching-up chat.

And at home now (rather earlier than expected), I’m about to bung on a film to watch with my big-little brother. Well, if we can decide on one between us, that is.

I love teaser trailers, particularly when ‘new’ footage has been produced especially for them. (Think the production-line teaser for Terminator 2 if you will.)

Anyway, I’ve just had the privilege of watching The League of Gentlemen’s Apocalypse teaser trailer, which is absolutely fantastic. So simple, but highly effective because of this.

Watch it here.

In fact, I’ll take this opportunity to compile a short list of my this year’s must-see films:

• The League of Gentlemen’s Apocalypse (22nd April)
• Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (19th May)
• The Wallace & Gromit Movie: Curse of the Wererabbit (14th October)
• Corpse Bride (21st October)

Fingers crossed for Red Dwarf: The Movie next year, eh?

I said yesterday that this week’s been a good one. Well, technically I said: “I’ve really enjoyed this [working] week so far - it’s been noticeably better than recent weeks.” But we’re just mincing words now.

Anyway, today was also a good one. Firstly: Commenting to Simon M. on MSN Messenger last night that we rarely see each other around Racodac, today I bumped into him on the way to Ben W’s gaff to do some filming. Extraordinary.

Secondly: Filming went particularly well. Not that there were any complex shots, but technology could’ve disagreed with us. Okay, technology *did* disagree with us, as we managed to edit the footage together in entirety, but couldn’t present to tutor John L. because the audio wouldn’t export. Bah.

Returning to the subject of the filming itself, as it was undoubtedly the highlight of my day - we needed to record someone breathing for about a minute or so.

Now, there’s probably a special sound recording booth at Racodac, but none of us knew off-hand and we’d probably have to book it in advance anyway. So we left Lucy F. in a room at Ben’s to record herself breathing.

Thing is, for the camera to pick up the breath, she had to breathe heavily. And one of our requirements was to progressively breathe faster, ending on a desperate gasp without an exhalation.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out where I’m going with this one. Let me just say that it sounded VERY sordid, and I had great fun editing the sound when back at Racodac with Lucy by my side.

I even imitated the playback when not at the computer, adding groans as & where I saw fit.

’twas a good giggle.

I was at Racodac unbelievably early again this morning. It’s weird - the last couple of nights I’ve been reading into the early hours. You’d think it’d make getting up more of a struggle.

Anyhow, my group’s tutorial with John L. went far better than last time even though only Dan R. & myself (well, and John, obviously) were in attendance.

After that, the day was spent capturing archived BBC footage onto a computer in preparation for tomorrow, when we’ll hopefully be doing some actual filming of our own.

Oh, and I’ve just signed out of MSN Messenger having spoken with Paul B, Jason C, Tommy C, Matt L, Simon M, James N. & Danny P. for quite a while.

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I’ve really enjoyed this [working] week so far - it’s been noticeably better than recent weeks. Is tomorrow really going to be the one to break the chain?BigBlake will get back to you…

As part of my Context Studies at Racodac, today I went to Tate Modern and Somerset House to observe the ideals & illusions of the Russian Revolution and the Soviet Union.

I made my way there with Zehra A, Bekah B. & Katerina T. and was joined by tutor Sian C. & fellow student Ben W. at the train station.

I won’t pretend that I understood or appreciated all of what I saw. But I was quite pleased with myself when I first noticed the hammer & sickle symbol, as information about Communism that Mr. C. taught us at RWS (when studying Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment) came flooding back.

After about an hour or so in the Soviet Revolution room at the Tate, I wandered off with Zehra A. & Samantha ¿ and ended up in a nudey section. It just looked ridiculous! I mean, the models were deformed - hugely deformed. It made one feel quite inadequate…

Finally, at Somerset House, I very nearly went ice skating. But I decided against it because I just couldn’t be arsed.

Well, it’s as good a reason as any, I suppose.

I wish I’d been a girlie, just like my dear Mama.

Arriving bright and early at Racodac this morning (despite having not gone to bed until gone 1:30 AM through reading), I mulled over ideas for the deforestation project with fellow group members Lucy F, Dan R. & Ben W. until the film at 12:30 PM.

In short, our new idea will convey the catastrophic effect the world will have on life when it finally stops breathing in years to come. Still, you’ve got to laugh, haven’t you?

Today’s film, Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus, was oddly recorded off of digital television with the subtitles on. I.e. the subtitles were ‘burnt’ onto the picture. Mind you, the hillbilly-esque dialect did cause some confusion, so the subtitles proved to be rather handy in places.

The subtitles also saw a lot of us more inclined to talk during the film; I sat in the back row chatting with Zehra A. throughout - the topics of conversation ranging from under-garments to violins, occasionally prompted by the images displayed on screen.

At one point the conversation turned to body art. Suggesting that Zehra could get a tattoo of a zebra because of her name, I then had the brilliant idea of similarly having the letter “B” tattooed on each of my buttocks - “BB” being the regularly used abbreviation for “BigBlake”.

Then it dawned on me that when bending over, it would read as: “BOB”, so the idea was quickly scrapped.

This morning is cold. Very cold. I get up fairly early. I decide that I don’t want to go to Racodac. I force myself out of the house anyway. I have a great morning…

Standing at the bus stop for what seemed like four ice ages, a bus (not ‘mine’) pulled in to let some people on. Whilst they were boarding, the back doors opened and an old ish lady started hobbling off. Halfway out of the bus (as I said, she was hobbling) the doors started closing on her.

Now, I was standing leaning against the bus shelter, feeling the cold and desperately trying not to laugh. I controlled myself and settled with a slight smile. Then I thought how funny it would’ve been had I laughed, and the smile grew a bit bigger.

By this point, the old ish lady was still half in/out of the bus, and I’m thinking how funny it would’ve been had I laughed at how funny it would’ve been to have laughed in the first place. Slowly but surely the smile turned into a grin. Then a chuckle. Then a full outburst of laughter.

Excellent. Picture it now if you will.

Some time later (and still rather smiley), the usually double-decker numbered bus that I get came along in the form of a single-decker bus. I saw two of these numbered buses as single-decker ones late last week and made it my aim for this week to get on one. And considering it’s only Monday and I’ve already cracked it, that’s pretty good going.

The bus took a fair while to get to my destination, and knowing of a room change for software training but not what room it’d changed to, I rush-walked in. And arrived bang on time.

Then (yes, it gets better) it started snowing!

I did say to my mother that if it did start snowing (as forecast by Mr. Meteorologist), I’d be returning home as soon as I noticed the rarity. But I’ve kinda settled here for the time being, emailing that Zehra A. person and casually Internetting.

Oh, and I’m observing this tutorial closely. But that goes without saying.

Ahem.

This weekend has been remarkably better than last. Again today I had a curry - this time for breakfast.

Since then, I’ve just been chillin’ - catching up on reading, listening to some old radio shows, researching deforestation and watching a film.

Thinking about it, a beanbag would be an ideal addition to my bedroom for the former two activities stated. I used to have a Thomas the Tank Engine one. I wonder if that’s still kicking about somewhere. Hmmm.