New colleagues

I’m asking directions. This is happening a lot at present as I start to find my way around the city (even though I have, of course, bought a map).

‘I think it’s near the theatre. Hull Truck I mean, not the New Theatre. I’ve not been there yet, I’ll have to see what’s on’

New colleague ‘I’ve never been there…well, to either of them actually.’

Me: (shocked voice) ‘what, never?’

NC ‘No’

‘We’ll have to change that, (by way of explanation), I'm a bit of a theatre buff*'.

I may have moved across the country, but I guess not much changes in how much I have in common with those I work with.

*I know, understatement of the decade. At least I didn’t go for ‘snob’ from the start, they can work that one out as we go along.

The jury is still out

And so, Doctor Who without David Tennant. It was always going to be a hard act to follow. We’re now three episodes in, and I’m afraid that I’ve liked each one less.

The Eleventh Hour was broadcast whilst I was on holiday, and I caught up with it when I got back. I enjoyed a lot of things, but it didn’t grip me sufficiently for me to break through the post holiday fatigue and watch it all in one sitting. However, I really liked the writing, the concept that Amy met this new Doctor when still a little girl, and then again years later. Also Matt Smith (and Stephen Moffat) seem to be giving us a much more ‘alien’ Doctor than we’ve had.

The Beast Below was ok, though it reminded me of many previous episodes, of both Who, and Torchwood. Also, there were too many children in it for my liking. I really liked the character of Amy, though, who seems a good match for the Doctor.

And then we came to Victory of the Daleks. Oh dear. Some of the Dalek episodes have been among the poorest, and in my mind, they bring them back again far too quickly. Time to give them a rest I think. Whilst it was a close run thing with Daleks of Manhatten, I think this was the poorest of the lot. I was actually quite bored.

The relationship between the Doctor and Churchill seemed very false, and Matt Smith’s performance had neither the presence nor the stature of the Doctor. Maybe some of it was the writing, and the direction, but he seemed quite insignificant. This time I really, really missed David. I also really disliked what they have done to the Daleks in re-creating them. The old Daleks were menacing in their metal shells, these colourful Daleks (surely a marketing ploy to sell new figures?) seem to have lost this.

I hope for better things to come with next episode which brings back River Song and the Weeping Angels. But, for now, the jury is out.

A fresh start

You could say I’ve been a bit busy lately, what with finishing one job, going on holiday, and starting a new one the day after I got back*, without even thinking about adding in selling a house**, so I’ve not really been around on here, and have so much to catch up with.

For now, well, I no longer work in Liverpool, and have moved to Hull***. I think there may be a lot of similarities between the two. But hopefully the new job will have good things without the low points of the last. It’s no secret that it had become very difficult over the last few months of last year, and that I couldn’t see that it was ever going to change. So, I’ve moved on.

The holiday was a Nile cruise, which was fabulous, but exhausting. If anyone is planning on going on one, my advice would be to also plan about 4 days ‘down time’ at the end, just crashing out. Today is the first day that I’ve felt anything like normal. It was fabulous though.

*remind me never to think that’s a good idea again
**not mine
***when I say ‘moved’, I don’t mean literally. I’m not leaving York