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llywela1. My Mum and Dad's house sale has fallen through at the final hurdle (the survey - he 'advised' the buyers to push for a 10K drop in price, which...just no). I'm gutted for them, and also very worried because they needed that sale. They don't have my rent to cover the mortgage any more.
2. My cousin's baby daughter was transferred back to the children's hospital in Cardiff yesterday, following her surgery at the specialist heart unit in Bristol. She's doing as well as can be expected, after two major surgeries in a week - the first to repair the holes in her heart, the second to insert a pacemaker because the first surgery didn't repair the defect as well as hoped. Poor baby, only 12 months old and she's already been through so much.
3. I've tried taking the cats out the back three times so far this morning, but every time they go out, they hear a 'scary' noise and rush back inside again. Wusses. But it's too cold to leave the door open for them to come and go as they please!
4. I got run into by a bike on my way to work yesterday. That was fun. On a pedestrianised street, too, where the bike had no business being, especially not that fast. I was walking along minding my business when the bike came flying around a corner, way too fast to swerve, I couldn't get out of the way in time, so it clipped me and sent me spinning, the cyclist nearly came off the bike, and it was all a bit hair-raising for first thing in the morning. Neither of us was hurt, though, so that was good.
5. The BBC has released a pre-anniversary minisode, Night of the Doctor, and have you all seen it? It's fantastic!
The Eighth Doctor! Paul McGann! After 17 years and I can't even count how many audio adventures, the longest-serving Doctor of all finally has new visuals and a regeneration scene, and I just love it - it was released on McGann's birthday, as well, which was really nice. Less than 7 minutes long, yet it's a complete adventure - and although made very much for the fans, it isn't just fannish lip service because it fills a gap, provides backstory and valuable character information, as well as blending the Eighth Doctor's audio adventures into the mainstream canon rather beautifully (and subtly). The acknowledgement of his audio companions underscores the fact that this Doctor has had more than the one big adventure, it gives him a history, hinting as it does at a full life, albeit one lived off-screen - although it's all kinds of heartbreaking to see that lovely Doctor, who was born with such energy and joy in the TV Movie, die with such despair.
It's a clever script, as well, packing a hell of a lot into under 7 minutes. It's sort of deconstructive - it starts off like an RTD story, with the Doctor rescuing a beautiful young woman who wants to see the universe...but then she rejects him because of the Time War (and the pain in the Doctor's face when Cass says "Don't touch me") and the dying Doctor comes to see that being the Doctor doesn't work in the Time War context. So he resolves to change to change the universe, to save everyone because he couldn't save Cass. It's condensed but I think it does the job beautifully. The Doctor gets to be dashing and snarky and funny and heroic and tragic and self-sacrificing, all in under 7 minutes. We get to see that he didn't want to be part of the War ("I help where I can but I will not fight"), how he became part of it and why he felt he had no choice. McGann is just brilliant - I've always loved his take on the Doctor, he was the best thing about the TV Movie, and I've heard enough of his audios to know how good he is in those. And what great last words. Immense. Plus, they did a good job of having their cake and eating it too: Hurt's Warrior Doctor will be the one who ends the war, but McGann's Doctor lived through it... they're both the Time War Doctor.
Plus - Sisterhood of Karn! And used absolutely perfectly - 40-year continuity for the win! I'm really excited for the anniversary now!
Also, Paul McGann has clearly got hold of some of that Elixir of Life himself, because the man does not seem to have aged in 17 years!
6. I watched The Science of Doctor Who the other night, with Brian Cox. The little skits with Brian Cox and the Doctor were all kinds of delightful - I have to admit, though, that the science lectures kinda sent me to sleep...
7. I'm really, really looking forward to An Adventure in Space and Time next week. The trailer is all kinds of fabulous - David Bradley just nails Hartnell perfectly.
2. My cousin's baby daughter was transferred back to the children's hospital in Cardiff yesterday, following her surgery at the specialist heart unit in Bristol. She's doing as well as can be expected, after two major surgeries in a week - the first to repair the holes in her heart, the second to insert a pacemaker because the first surgery didn't repair the defect as well as hoped. Poor baby, only 12 months old and she's already been through so much.
3. I've tried taking the cats out the back three times so far this morning, but every time they go out, they hear a 'scary' noise and rush back inside again. Wusses. But it's too cold to leave the door open for them to come and go as they please!
4. I got run into by a bike on my way to work yesterday. That was fun. On a pedestrianised street, too, where the bike had no business being, especially not that fast. I was walking along minding my business when the bike came flying around a corner, way too fast to swerve, I couldn't get out of the way in time, so it clipped me and sent me spinning, the cyclist nearly came off the bike, and it was all a bit hair-raising for first thing in the morning. Neither of us was hurt, though, so that was good.
5. The BBC has released a pre-anniversary minisode, Night of the Doctor, and have you all seen it? It's fantastic!
The Eighth Doctor! Paul McGann! After 17 years and I can't even count how many audio adventures, the longest-serving Doctor of all finally has new visuals and a regeneration scene, and I just love it - it was released on McGann's birthday, as well, which was really nice. Less than 7 minutes long, yet it's a complete adventure - and although made very much for the fans, it isn't just fannish lip service because it fills a gap, provides backstory and valuable character information, as well as blending the Eighth Doctor's audio adventures into the mainstream canon rather beautifully (and subtly). The acknowledgement of his audio companions underscores the fact that this Doctor has had more than the one big adventure, it gives him a history, hinting as it does at a full life, albeit one lived off-screen - although it's all kinds of heartbreaking to see that lovely Doctor, who was born with such energy and joy in the TV Movie, die with such despair.
It's a clever script, as well, packing a hell of a lot into under 7 minutes. It's sort of deconstructive - it starts off like an RTD story, with the Doctor rescuing a beautiful young woman who wants to see the universe...but then she rejects him because of the Time War (and the pain in the Doctor's face when Cass says "Don't touch me") and the dying Doctor comes to see that being the Doctor doesn't work in the Time War context. So he resolves to change to change the universe, to save everyone because he couldn't save Cass. It's condensed but I think it does the job beautifully. The Doctor gets to be dashing and snarky and funny and heroic and tragic and self-sacrificing, all in under 7 minutes. We get to see that he didn't want to be part of the War ("I help where I can but I will not fight"), how he became part of it and why he felt he had no choice. McGann is just brilliant - I've always loved his take on the Doctor, he was the best thing about the TV Movie, and I've heard enough of his audios to know how good he is in those. And what great last words. Immense. Plus, they did a good job of having their cake and eating it too: Hurt's Warrior Doctor will be the one who ends the war, but McGann's Doctor lived through it... they're both the Time War Doctor.
Plus - Sisterhood of Karn! And used absolutely perfectly - 40-year continuity for the win! I'm really excited for the anniversary now!
Also, Paul McGann has clearly got hold of some of that Elixir of Life himself, because the man does not seem to have aged in 17 years!
6. I watched The Science of Doctor Who the other night, with Brian Cox. The little skits with Brian Cox and the Doctor were all kinds of delightful - I have to admit, though, that the science lectures kinda sent me to sleep...
7. I'm really, really looking forward to An Adventure in Space and Time next week. The trailer is all kinds of fabulous - David Bradley just nails Hartnell perfectly.
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no subject
Date: 2013-11-16 10:32 am (UTC)And don't get me started on cyclists where they shouldn't be - I've had far too many near misses myself!
Carol
no subject
Date: 2013-11-16 10:56 am (UTC)The survey recommended re-wiring and damp-coursing, apparently.
no subject
Date: 2013-11-17 11:17 am (UTC)I hope they get another offer quickly.
Carol
no subject
Date: 2013-11-17 07:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-11-16 06:02 pm (UTC)I am glad the Who minisode makes you so giddy. :) I've seen it, and I think it's nice, but obviously I miss most of the historical context of it all, so it doesn't mean much to me. I do agree, however, that the actor really didn't seem to have aged much. LOL
no subject
Date: 2013-11-17 07:58 am (UTC)I wish I could share my brain with you to bring you over to this side of the Whovian fence where a little 7-minute online minisode can bring so much happiness! McGann's Doctor is so adorable in the TV Movie and he's been 17 years developing the character in Big Finish audios (man, so many adventures, I've barely scratched the surface) and he's finally got to film a regeneration scene, one that's important to the mythos of the show, filling in a gap and explaining John Hurt's character - it's just very happy-making!
no subject
Date: 2013-11-16 07:20 pm (UTC)But mostly, thank you! Your vids were perfect airport fodder! I'm sitting in LHR, not quite having wound down enough yet from the rush of everything, and then - Doctor Who! Paul McGann! I haven't seen his version before, and I want to even more now. Wonder if my brother-in-law will have it - he's a bit of a DW-er, I gather... or perhaps was. And now I'm hoping the Adventures in... will be shown in Aus when I'm there too, so I don't miss it for too long, cos that looked good as well. Oh, but mostly - I did like the very dark War Doctor, and the feel of the whole thing. Very different, as you say, and yet maybe harking back to... well, I'm not sure what I mean, and since my memory is rubbish (as we know *g*) I shan't go on, but.... yeah, I liked it! More DW, please! (I can't believe I'm leaving the country now - how badly timed was that?!) And thank you again! *g*
no subject
Date: 2013-11-17 08:01 am (UTC)Enjoy Australia!