{ also: I wish people I'm not flisted with would stop asking for my email address. }

Garrett Dillahunt! Mister, you are getting to be everywhere!

( Sarah Connor Chronicles, 1x04. )

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I actually wrote the above on Sunday. So.

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Taken! I was completely into this show when it first aired but like most things, BBC stuck it on BBC2 at a godforsaken hour and I never got to see the conclusion. Now I'm rewatching the earlier episodes and recognising plot lines and various faces. I also saw:

It was so long ago, I never even clicked when I saw Deadwood. I think this is because of his screentime, although for years since I've recognised other actors from this show and not known their names. I remember trying to keep The Mother up-to-date with the complicated plot, and having to give all the characters vague nicknames (because she never remembers character names). Joel Gretsch's character was ( spoiler )

. I also remember that I was really excited because it was a show that featured Julie Benz, Catherine Dent and Eric Close (three people I was interested in after Buffy, The Shield and The Magnificent Seven. I still smile whenever Dent turns up somewhere unexpected - like the S3 finale of Numb3rs, or Sarah Connor Chronicles, yay). ( more spoilers )

And of course: Dakota Fanning.

HBO's miniseries are so damn watchable. I know I've said it before but I'm a fan of the mini-series format because the stories tend to be better thought-out, the resolutions are satisfying, and the shows don't have time to dilapidate, which is a bonus. The BBC is known for singular programming; it's only in the past 10 years or so that serialisations have become popular (as opposed to sitcoms and soaps). I've been watching quite a few recently (most notably Band of Brothers) and it's nice to be able to rewatch this one, seeing as it was so excellent the first time around. More than that, though, I've been quite busy, so this feels like 'me' time, well-earned.

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UGH, INTERNETS SNAFU ALL EVENING. Haven't been able to check my mail, eljay, anything. Stressful. I did, however, put the time to good use by sorting out my reading for later this week. This means that I will have more free time to work on my dissertation draft, and to watch Taken (naturally).

--

Possibly the only positive thing I can say about Thandie at the BAFTAs is that her hair and makeup was flawless. Her dress was... I was pretty confused/horrified looking at it. GIRL. You are so PRETTY. Why do you continue to wear these crazy things when you can (and so often do) look so fabulous?! (General consensus seems to be thatshe is pullng it off, and yet I still can't wrap my head around it. So.)

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It's been quite a good day, actually. I got up around 9am because I had to go and pick up my package from the post office, and I was going to leave the house at the same time as T who had a 10am class. We left together, I headed for the post office, only to find out that (a) they didn't have the damn thing and (b) they're closing - permanently, wtf - tomorrow morning. Naturally, I was all, "???" and then I asked the guy if there was any chance that the package might come later in the day. "Oh, um, yeah. Try after 3pm." Great. So I went to Av. campus for my 11am screening to which my tutor was about a half-hour late. Not that it mattered. We watched this Finnish film called Leningrad Cowboys Go America (weird and hilarious) and then clips from The New World (the latest Pocahontas story with Colin Farell as John Smith). At 1pm I had lunch with T and The Flatmate, then T and I walked back to the house. I read for half an hour, collected my package, dropped it off at the house and then headed to Hf. for the lecture on Accordion Crimes. An excellent lecture, really interesting. I have the seminar for that on Tuesday afternoon.

When I got back from the lecture I sat down to do today's reading (Nabokov's Pnin = genius), spent time with the housemates, ate, and then sat down to watch Taken. I should probably try to go to sleep soon. Email replies/comments later, I promise.

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At 00.42, I was just about ready to hit post. What happened? Oh yeah, the internet junked. AGAIN. Bloody hell.

{ important questions. }

[Poll #1137266]

Feel free to pimp out. Also, Dear Ripway, WTF, from M.

{ Constantine Cavafy: The God Forsakes Anthony. }

"Fortune and Antony part here; even here / do we shake hands"
- William Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra, IV.12

The God Forsakes Anthony
by Constantine Cavafy (trans. Rae Dalven)

When suddenly at the midnight hour
an invisible troupe is heard passing
with exquisite music, with shouts -
do not mourn in vain your fortune failing you now,
your works that have failed, the plans of your life
that have all turned out to be illusions.
As if long prepared for this, as if courageous,
bid her farewell, the Alexandria that is leaving.
Above all do not be fooled, do not tell yourself
it was only a dream, that your ears deceived you;
do not stoop to such vain hopes.
As if long prepared for this, as if courageous,
as it becomes you who are worthy of such a city;
approach the window with firm step,
and listen with emotion, but not
with the entreaties and complaints of the coward,
as a last enjoyment listen to the sounds,
the exquisite instruments of the mystical troupe,
and bid her farewell, the Alexandria you are losing.

--

Fans of Yael Naim: who is that dueting with her on Shelcha? It sounds like Damien Rice (!!!) but I can't be certain. Does anyone know?