Rev Stan's blog

• 10:58 On a long boat on final leg of journey - the sun is setting its lovely and warm, think i might enjoy this holiday xx #

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• 10:58 On a long boat on final leg of journey - the sun is setting its lovely and warm, think i might enjoy this holiday xx #

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• 20:24 Have had a stiff drink and now feeling much more mellow about tomorrow. #
• 20:47 @Glinner I thought it was brilliant. Gripping from start to finish. #
• 20:48 @_faeriequeen Cool I'll be tapping you for tips of where to go and what to do nearer the time #
• 20:48 @annaleeb Thanks. At the moment I'm fighting with the notion that I'm mad but I've got 3 months to conquer that. #
• 09:19 Blimey, 20 mins from stepping off tube to departures was expecting queue hell. More time for shopping #
• 10:21 Nice man at dixons is charging my new nintendo dsi for me so i dont have to sit with it. And why arent there clothes shops for the norma ... #
• 11:57 Flight delayed but leaving soon. Has just started snowing - shame i will miss the chaos or not. Have a great christmas everyone who cele ... #
• 13:26 Spoke too soon, waiting for the plane to be de-iced. Still i love sitting in cattle class on a plane for as long as possible. Love it. #

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Right, well. I'm off (first thing tomorrow) so this will be my last post for 10 days or so, unless I find internet connection where I'm going and feel inclined.
Bags are packed. Have had a stiff drink to calm my nerves. All that is left to do is program my Sky+ and finish the book I'm reading.
Seems a bit mental that I'm not going to reach the resort I'm staying at until Thursday tea time but hey it'll be worth it as this is what I've got to look forward to. Just hope my pictures turn out half as good:

Longtail boat by Jonas Photo on Flickr

• 08:14 More Bilbo actor rumours: Tobey Maguire. PJ said recently doesn't like big stars because they distract from character bit.ly/7RpojY #
• 08:17 There was a time many, many, many years ago that a new Mel Gibson project would have caused some excitement bit.ly/6kvyN6 #
• 08:27 @electricfields *chuckles* I'm already looking forward to diCaprio speaking in some obscure ancient Scandinavian language. #
• 15:40 Right holiday shopping done. Bag is virtually packed. Think its time to start planning the next trip while I wait... #
• 17:10 Just booked tickets for a play in February...in New York. Better sort out the flights I suppose. #
• 17:11 @electricfields Yeh I was thinking that. Don't sign anything Leo, run, run like the wind... #
• 17:32 Bloody hell, I'm off to New York in February. #
• 17:33 @_faeriequeen I've never been but always wanted to go and there is a play on I really want to see so I thought: 'why not?' #

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07 Drumming

Florence + The Machine

At the very least this will go down as the most pleasant smelling gig I've been too, the benefits of having a predominantly female audience.
I haven't seen the Brixton Academy so packed since I went to see REM's Glastonbury warm up gig there a few years ago. The atmosphere was electric as Florence took to the stage in a very girly outfit which was white and silver with feather-boa inspired detailing. Made a difference from the usual jeans/black.
The girlie theme extended to the daisy-shaped lighting, exotic bird-bedecked back drop and antique bird cages although the latter were home to lungs rather than birds in reference to her album.
Another first was a choir and harp player although I have seen a 'strings section' before but all that faded when Florence began to sing. Her voice is beautiful live even when you are standing right next to the speaker stack and she is rival to Skin and PJ Harvey for putting her all into the performance. It was her home gig and I admit I had no idea she came from Brixton - just goes to show that South London is a good breeding ground for fantastic female singers.
And, it was also great to see a band that had only released one album. Can't remember the last time did that.
Fab last gig of the year.
Pics aren't great as it was so crowded and difficult to get a clear shot but here they are anyway.

• 19:51 #xfactor How are they going to string this out for two hours and I wish Louis Walsh would just bog off. #
• 19:57 Right no one is allowed to tell me who wins #xfactor as I'm recording it and will watch later (off out to see Florence and the Machine) #
• 08:49 @Revmoon I didn't put the laptop on until this morning... #
• 08:53 Glad I didn't watch #xfactor final live. A bunch of duller songs they couldn't have chosen. Thank goodness for fast foward. #
• 09:09 Right operation packing, phase two begins. It didn't get properly light until 8, I feel like heading to the airport now and sleeping the re. #
• 13:09 Cinema (limits of control) on a monday lunchtime - feel like i'm bunking off school or in porn cinema as rather a lot of men on own #
• 18:01 The Limits of Control: Answers on a postcard please #
• 18:18 @_faeriequeen Cock brilliant, saw it twice. Habit of Art is entertaining. Am seeing Red and The Priory first week in Jan, latter on 9th too #

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• 20:44 @clarapersephone Yep I'm with you on that one. Although I'm a recent convert. #
• 20:49 #xfactor Going to back to the 'crowd in the hometown' has to be the most annoying and pointless bit of the final. #
• 21:22 @heatworld Stacey, Olly and Joe in the final #
• 08:28 Last yoga class before Thailand. Going to try out new mat and chalky stuff to stop hands slipping (it's what rock climbers use) #
• 13:01 Yoga teacher certainly not slowing down for Xmas. Great class. Did headstand against wall. Climbers chalk worked a treat on feet and hands #
• 13:30 Holiday humour (best not if you are just about to fly though) bit.ly/8SsBJn #
• 17:26 @rowena_betts Definitely. Ghost tour is good, as are the literary... #
• 17:31 RT@polyg Tennant, Law, Simm & Branagh, can you beat this? Brian Cox Teaches Hamlet To 2 Year Old bit.ly/6a0WfG (via @feelinglistless) #

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What's the worst book you've ever read?

The Da Vinci Code

Dan Brown

I always ask myself if, I'm not enjoying a book, 'would I care if I never find out what happens?'. And if the answer is 'no' then I ditch it.

Life is too short and there are too many books.

There is one book that stands out for spectacularly not getting me to give a crap and that was Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code.

I was about 100 pages in when I finally accepted how much I hated the central character, Robert Landon* and wished someone would just smash his smug, chiseled-jawed, face in.

The realisation that that was unlikely to happen made me think my book mark would be put to better use elsewhere.

Haven't seen the film and have no desire to pick up any of Dan Brown's other books.

* I had to google the book to get his name