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I’ve left this one kinda late to be honest… If I hadn’t been so darned busy with other, less fun stuff, like work, the gym and lugging bags up and down stairs for my flatmate (we live 4 flights up – no lift – Peter owes me big time for helping him move), I’d have gotten my act together and probably have had a better chance at getting 25 comments to allow me to enter the Carsonified Golden Ticket competition.

The Golden Ticket for those of you that don’t know, is a Willy Wonka style offering from Ryan Carson over at the ever awesome Carsonified – write a blog post about why you want to win the Golden Ticket, get 25  or more comments and enter the prize draw.

Anyway, being that I’ve left it so long, I’ll cut straight to the point… Why I’m craving the Golden Ticket.

I’ve worked in the t’interweb business for 10 years now, and have managed to keep it a passion (if anything, it’s become more of a passion – I guess I’m lucky that I’ve got a job I enjoy so much). However, for as long as I can remember, I’ve been surrounded by people who, despite working in this awesome industry, just seem to lack the passion for it. When I dashed over to FOWA London last year, I felt at home in a sea of people passionate about what they do – and better still, what the possiblities that lay ahead are.

To be fair, in my time I’ve been lucky enough to work with some wonderful passionate people – but those individuals are few and far between. Maybe, just maybe, with the chance to get amongst others who feel the same way as I do, the smile on my face that I bring back at the end of the day (not to mention the photos, videos and mountains of goodies), may inspire some of the other I work with to consider this wonderful web as more than just a 9 til 5. (*ahem* 9 til 6 if you’re a Londoner like myself).

There’s a small and slightly personal note to this post – my intentions aren’t completely selfless… For the past few months I’ve been working on a side project that will hopefully one day soon blossom into a fully fledged webapp. Work has been flagging with the torrent of stuff that has taken my time up over the past 4 weeks, but I’m hoping that with a bit of inspiration, some serious networking, and of course, a few friendly faces to bounce ideas of, it may just come to fruition.

Spare a second to comment if you can. I’ll be eternally grateful!

Nath.

Firstly, and to start, I’ve got a legitimate reason for not having posted anything for a while.

Secondly, I’m about to dive out of the office, so this post is going to have to be a short one.

Back to that first point… I’m back! From Mexico! Riviera Maya to be more specific (on the Caribbean coast, near Tulum). I’m moderately tanned, somewhat relaxed, and missing the hell out of being waited on with cocktails and food all day long. London met my return with about 5 minutes of sun, before finally reverting to a nice solid grey sky – kinda fitting when you’ve spent 12 hours on a plane, followed by another hour on various trains and tubes.

Anyway, before I ramble on (and make myself even later), here is the very brief summary of my holiday:

• Took a taxi to the airport. With a taxi driver who couldn’t drive, or navigate, and who took 2 hours to get to Gatwick
• Almost missed the plane, but instead, after some schmoozing at the check in desk, managed to get upgraded to increased leg-room
• Took a 12 hour flight to Cancun
• Followed by a 3 hour bus ride to Riveria Maya
• Finally stopped travelling. Got greeted by waiters handing me cocktails. Bliss.
• Explored hotel and beach. White sands, crystal blue seas, no clouds. Check
• Took a trip to Chichen-Itza. Gorped like an idiot at the incredible architecture.
• Went to Xel-Ha, swam with dolphins (incredible!), snorkelled, and lounged in luxery. All in an eco friendly resort.
• Rode speed boats through the mangroves on the coast before snorkelling around the coral and attempting to take photos of the crazy fish.
• Got bitten by aforementioned crazy fish. Now have small teethmarks in my finger.
• Ate at a mexican-japanese restaurant where the food tasted like chinese takeaway. Top marks for effort though (the guy on the hotplate who was spinning knives on his fingers and juggling eggs was a real treat)
• Got drunk in a swimming pool with a bunch of Americans.
• Flew back!

I’ll update this blog with a bunch of content once things settle down at work – the vids of dolphins, speed boats and ancient temples will come as soon as I manage to edit the footage (taken with a Hi-def digital camcorder – in 720p glory!)

Nath.

It’s been 20 years since we last saw Harrison Ford crack a whip as Indiana Jones, and the Kindom of the Crystal Skull has been eagerly awaited since the announcement that we were due to get a fourth installment.

Sitting down in the packed Leicester Square Odeon with a bucket of popcorn and a diabetic coma inducing volume of Coke, I joined the ranks of those people who were eager to see if it would live up to the hype.

I won’t wax on about the scenes in the film because it’d ruin the fun (especially if you’re waiting to go yourself), but overall I’d say I appeared to come out the cinema with the same impression as the rest of the audience.

I didn’t hate it, but I certainly wasn’t blown away.

Still, it was markedly better than Temple of Doom. Wise cracking Ford keeps the pace steadily moving along, and at 65, performing some incredible stunts (I hope I’m able to do half of what he does when I’m his age…).  The slapstick comedy from the first two films creeps in – in parts a little too much, but overall it keeps in line with the franchise. Sticking safely to the tried and tested formula of young sidekick, slightly irate love interest and a team of organised baddies (nazis, indian tribes, etc), the film holds it together well until the ending where it becomes a little untied.

I won’t spoil the ending, as it’s worth a watch – just be prepared to be found wanting when you leave.

To leave you on a happy note, keep an eye out for the hidden references throughout the film:

• Harrison Ford saying “I have a bad feeling about this” – a line which is used once in each of the Starwars films
• During the hanger scene, look out for the crate that breaks open… containing the Ark from “raiders”
• Watch the reaction of the Moles as the rocket launches – flip to Starwars ep. 1, and you’ll see the Jawa’s do the same during the pod racing scene.

Found more?  Comment and I’ll add them.

Usually, when I hear about a new transfer from the Marvel comic world to the genre of film, I stop myself from getting excited and sit and think about the chronic mistakes they’ve made in the past. “Spiderman” was barely good enough to merit a visit to the cinema screen, let alone II and III (which thankfully were viewed on DVD). Let’s not even go into the 3 hours of my life which I’ll never get back from watching “The Hulk”.

It’s not that they don’t have great special effects, or stunning casts, it’s just that they tend to be utter drivel from start to end. You’ve got a great canvas to explore (after all, this is the comic book land we’re talking about here) – so why waste millions on special effects at the expense of a decent plotline?

Thankfully, there are exceptions to the rule. The fantastic X-Men series not only delivers the first time round, but follows up with 2 excellently crafted sequels. Batman got it’s act together with Christian Bale doing Batman Begins justice. (more…)