(no subject)

[peterbirks]

So, after three hours of poker when I had won the grand sum of a dollar, I decided to attack the back-bedroom. The wallpaper was coming down. New wallpaper was going up. Shelves were going up. Progress had to be made.

I carefully considered the opportunity cost, financial and non-financial, and came up with the following table

Poker ............................... Wall-Stripping

Earns 50 cents an hour ............. Saves 40 dollars an hour
Sedentary ................... Physically tiring
Mind-numbing ............... Mentally relaxing
Not sweaty ...................... Sweaty

Anyhoo, I cleared the books piled higgledy-piggledy against one wall, filled the washing bowl with hot soapy water, and got to work.

This is what I found. Do you think the flat is haunted?

Comments

[badblood44.livejournal.com]

Is that like a 1-outer or runner-runner perfect?

[(Anonymous)]

Let us know when it says 'Red rum'.

DY

[jaybee66.livejournal.com]

Turning into a self-reliant hippy?

Like the stripped door and brass fittings.

[real-aardvark.livejournal.com]

It'd be slightly more disturbing if it said 'Shergar.'

[peterbirks.livejournal.com]

Pete, are you seriously telling me that you have not seen "The Shining"?

PJ

[peterbirks.livejournal.com]

Those stripped doors are all my own work, James, and that was the first door I did, back in 2000, when I was listening to Euro 2000 and I had a free bet with Ladbrokes for opening account. (That was an odd offer. Not only did they give you a free bet, but if the bet won, they gave you the standard return, but gave you the money back as well. Weird.)

After I did four doors and two cupboard doors, I started on the banisters, which was an 18 month job. The kitchen door remained undone for two years after that, until I started on it about 18 months ago... and I still haven't finished it.

PJ

[real-aardvark.livejournal.com]

Briefly, no, I haven't. I don't watch Kubrick movies, because (with the exception of Dr Strangelove) they're all offensive crap. I don't watch Hitchcock or Spielberg movies for the same reason.

I'm sure your version of the scene in question is far superior, although it might have done with a better cinematographer -- Chris Menzies, for example?

[jaybee66.livejournal.com]

V. good.

There's a career in TV makeover shows waiting for you if the day job goes TU.

Offensive Kubrick

[geoffchall.livejournal.com]

So if you've seen and liked Dr Strangelove what are the offensive and crappy movies of Kubrick that you have seen in order to put you off him? I didn't really like Barry Lyndon and never bothered with Eyes Wide Shut but you just might be making a generalisation here.

Re: Offensive Kubrick

[peterbirks.livejournal.com]

I may be alone in defending Eyes Wide Shut. I've watched it three times now and I've liked it more each time. I suspect it all boils down to one's attitude to Cruise and Kidman.

I still haven't seen Barry Lyndon although the DVD is sitting on top of the TV, waiting to be seen.

Not sure what there is in Kubrick to be deemed so offensive. I think The Shining is one of the greats; one only has to see what hard work other people make of King's books to realize what good work Kubrick did there.

PJ

Re: Offensive Kubrick

[real-aardvark.livejournal.com]

The first film I ever saw at the cinema (aged 8) was 2001. I didn't like it then and I don't like it now. I watched Full Metal Jacket without realising it was a Kubrick film, and was repelled by it. I watched Barry Lydon on a rainy Wednesday afternoon and it was as bad as I expected -- not only that, but the inspiration for many a drivelling costume drama since. I watched Paths of Glory because everybody witters on about how 'powerful' it is. It was crap.

Not really much of a generalisation, I feel. The only other Kubrick film that I can confidently put a name to is Eyes Wide Shut, which I haven't seen, but everybody else thinks is crap.

Oops, forgot Clockwork Orange, which I've also watched. I seem to recall that even Kubrick thought that was crap.