Trekking on...

I actually have been "making progress" (God, I hated when my mother would ask me, "Are you making any progress with your house?" A. Not your business, B. Are you 'making progress' with your nasty-ass house, and C. Would you ask any other adult that?) with the house, but other than get the top of the dryer cleared off, and a good start on my little desk in my room, there's not much to show.

My son and brother flew down on the 1st and then drove the boy's car car up to Lincoln. Junior Birdman and I went to the dentist on Thursday--I stayed home from work and we had lunch and hung out), then stayed in the cluster-fuck that is Austin traffic for over an hour trying to pick Hairy Mon up from work, and then another hour getting home. Austin has just gotten out of control...it's nowhere near as bad as other cities, but the influx of people from other places has just ballooned the traffic issue.  Our 'secret' route in the morning is now just as bogged down as I-35.

I give on on trying to give stuff away via Freecycle. I deleted by auxiliary blog that I kept for photos of things I was giving away. People are just eejits when it comes to picking things up. If I want something and they give me the address, by God, I'm there.  Anyway, picked up the perfect little table for keeping the pet food bin on. And yes, I said, I'll be there within the hour and I was there...and boom...home. The table works perfectly; I'll try to post a pic tonight.

Poldark is over for another year...thinking on a review of some kind....

*falls off the world for another month or two*

No...really...

#nobondforAidan

A few weeks ago, I read an "article" in some British online rag, yet again stating the betting odds or some such nonsense on Aidan Turner becoming the next James Bond. My comment was something to the effect that Bond would be a career killer for him, that it was a tired franchise needing a Zimmer frame and a comfy chair; Aido would be happier doing what he wanted to do: acting. Doing interesting roles for directors he admires, in indie films that don’t get into the limelight, etc.

I was told I was being selfish and that I was “another Bond hater.” For the record, I am no Bond hater. I own nearly half of the 24 films (not going to count Never Say Never Again, because it’s not really part of the franchise) and have seen more than half of them—been thinking lately I need to catch up. They’re fun films. They aren’t great cinema, but they’re fun. Lots of action, derring-do, impossible technology, and pretty cars.

As for being selfish? Quite the contrary. I suppose this woman’s opinion (I think her name was Gina) is based on making a kabillion pounds and having your name plastered all over every tabloid from Bakersfield to the East End. From all I’ve ever learned about Aidan, I can safely say that is not what he is about.

I’ve been researching some statistics about the Bond films. Interesting, useless trivia pops up. When adjusted for inflation, only three Bond films have made the top two highest grossing films in their year.  Both From Russia with Love and Goldfinger were 2^nd highest in 1963 and 1964 respectively and Moonraker was 1^st in 1979.⁽¹⁾  None of them rank on the 25 highest grossing films of all time (Gone with the Wind is still undisputed champion). However, if we don’t adjust for inflation, Skyfall is #13.⁽²⁾

And just for shits and giggles, I ran some numbers. When I average the ranking of the 24 films by four different film sites, Screencrush, Rotten Tomatoes, AMC Filmsite, and Rolling Stone, they line up like this:

1 - Goldfinger

2 -  From Russia with Love

3 - Casino Royale (2006)

4 - Dr. No

5 - Skyfall

6 - On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

7 - The Spy Who Loved Me

8 - Thunderball

9 - GoldenEye

10 - You Only Live Twice

11 - For Your Eyes Only

12 - The Living Daylights

13 - Diamonds Are Forever

14 - Licence to Kill

15 - Live and Let Die

16 – Spectre (only Screencrush and Rotten Tomatoes had rated this film as of this writing)

17 - The Man with the Golden Gun

18 - Moonraker

19 - Die Another Day

20 - A View to a Kill

21 - Tomorrow Never Dies

22 - The World Is Not Enough

23 - Octopussy

24 - Quantum of Solace

The Bond starring role has only ever gotten one BAFTA nomination for best actor in a leading role for Daniel Craig in Casino Royale. Lazenby was nominated for a Golden Globe, best new star-actor. Only Casino Royal has been nominated for best film (Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film at the 60th British Academy Film Awards).⁽³⁾

Not the greatest career builders, are they? Timothy Dalton was barely heard from, doing mostly television after his three Bond films. Sean Connery ended up hating the role ⁽⁴⁾; Daniel Craig reportedly abandoned £100 million and was quoted as saying he’d rather “slit his wrists” than play Bond again. Pierce Brosnan reportedly had to produce his own work to get noticed again. Why on earth would Aidan want that? He follows the writing, the direction, not the money and fame.

I would counter, Ms Gina, that you are the selfish one, wanting a brilliant, up and coming young actor to play the fantasies you want him in, rather than respect his choices as an artist. 

nbr

Box Office numbers for the James Bond films

Moving on.

Sunday AM..more rain. I love the rain, but not the mud in the back yard. The dog brings most of it in the house with her. Ugh.

I finally got fed up with the bullshit on FB. I knew it was only a matter of time. Too many people posting political stuff that just gets me angry...and yeah, I posted some, too.  I know where my loyalties lie and that's all I need know. So, yeah, I haven't been on FB other than to check to see who's replied to something (like..no one..) in about two weeks. I don't miss it and not one single person has even noticed I'm not there. Heh.  This isn't a pity party, but just to show it's par for the course.

So, moving on from there, I might be here more. I need to write, no matter what it is. I have a project and article in the works and massive research to do for that. I also need to make my silly third post about Hobbit Trivia.

Speaking of The Hobbit, in the course of looking up stuff about each of the actors, I've been trying to watch other projects they've appeared in . If you've been paying attention, you'll know that Mr Hotness...er...Aidan Turner is starring in a new BBC production of Poldark.  First thing I saw him in other than The Hobbit and it convinced me he is actually a rather good actor indeed.

Screen Cap of Poldark starring Aidan Turner

I went on from there to watch him in Being Human. Both shows are done with the BBC's penchant for quality. The costumes in Poldark are perfection. Period fabrics, hand sewing (or at least 95% looks hand-sewn), proper fabrics for different classes, etc. The production values are superb and the Cornish scenery is just lovely. Well done, BBC, well done.

I stopped watching Being Human once Aidan was written out of the show (won't spoil it for you if you haven't seen it), but the three series (seasons) are very good, heart-wrenching, and dramatic; there is a fair bit of humor, too. Russell Tovey and one of Aidan's exes, Lenora Crichlow, costar.

I've been trying to get hold of series 6 & 7 of The Clnic, well, actually I'd like to watch the whole lot of them. He was written out after series 7. I've seen a YouTube compilation of just the scenes he's in, but the show looks like it would be very good. There's a boxed set sort of available on Amazon. However, even though it's coded "0" --any region-- apparently it won't play in the US. Drat it all. He's a bit younger and plays a character who's a DJ in a club by night and a receptionist in a clinic by day. Wowsa, puts a whole new curve on being a receptionist.

The house is, as always, a huge mess, my studio is a wreck and all I feel like doing is playing Mahjong and writing. Go figure. I'm supposed to be washing dishes and making a grocery list (how utterly mundane), but "supposed to" and I have never really been friends.

The novel moves along a bit, seven chapters done and let's see, it's only taken me...7..8... years. *faceplant*