The Dylan Thing

It's been a Bob Dylan week.

Up until now, I've kind of quite liked Dylan. My collection of his albums was far from complete. I had Desire on vinyl, which is long lost. Nashville Skyline on CD and a greatest hits compilation that my mother burnt for me (yes, she burns CDs!) which is useless as Like a Rolling Stone is missing. I've been more of a fan of Dylan in theory, the whole image, attitute, look and personality as opposed to actually listening to him.

Watched the Dylan documentaries this week and was hooked. Still couldn't decide whether it was all an act with him, that he was very shrewd and played the part of the diffident singer, or that he really only just wrote these incredible songs effortlessly and happened to be in the right place at the right time. Lots of footage of the 1966 'Judas!' concert. I think I liked him more when he went electric.

Dug out my mother's CD but it wouldn't play properly. Put on Nashville Skyline but I wasn't in a country mood. Went back to appreciating Dylan in theory.

An Art Thing

Finished my first two pieces of art and am now onto my third. I may even pluck up the courage to take pictures and post them here. My art so far consists of portraits of my daughter. I only seem inclined to do portraits and have not yet strayed from her as a subject. One is exhibited in the attic, where only I go, another is in my daughter's bedroom at her insistence. The third, still incomplete, is downstairs for all to see.

Staggering On

My psychiatrist friend has decided that he is now running in the half marathon, as is KLAAG. Had a break for a few days and then ran a staggering six miles. I managed it in just under an hour, which means I won't be finishing the race in less than two hours (if I finish it at all).

Ploughed on with my art and showed two pictures to my daughter. 'nice!' she exclaimed. Have started a third piece. It was just the two of us this weekend and we filled it with cinema and swimming. We went to see 'Howl's Moving Castle' which I found hugely enjoyable for a children's film. My daughter also enjoyed, although this may have been partly due to an abundance of chocolate. Seemed to spend the rest of the time loading and unloading the dishwasher. There is an abundance of plates and mugs in constant flux.

Bought a CD: 'Exile on main Street' by The Rolling Stones. I am not a big Stones fan but I've felt compelled to buy 'classic' albums after too much Mojo reading. So I bought (only a fiver) and after a few listens give it a huge thumbs up.

Humble Nights In

A week of nights in alone until my wife returns. Don't even have any DVDs to look forward to this month. Spent a good hour tonight with my daughter and the nit comb. It's reached that level of excitement.

Grand Days Out

Swapped my days round at work so that I could help out with my daughter's class trip to a farm. Luckily, lots of other parents had also offered, so it became a relatively stress-free occasion. In fact, there where too many adults there, many of them standing around thumb-twiddling. So many adults that there wasn't enough room on the coach and several cars had to follow in convoy.

A beautifully sunny day and I am burnt again.

My wife left for a week and a half in China this morning. My daughter is tucked up asleep in the big bed (a concession) and I will struggle on with convenience meals. Don't know how this will affect the half-marathon though. Shock: 4 people died running the Great North Run on Sunday. Let-down: saw my psychiatrist friend and he says he may not run due to a bad foot. Silly: don't know if KLAAG is running either as he has not answered my calls. Irritating: a woman at work is another running expert, full of useful tips on diet and fitness.

Mentioned shock above to my wife and she has taken it badly. It seems she is worried about my health and fitness too.

In Films

In films at the moment Guy Ritchie's new film is getting something of a pasting. I am quite pleased, I have always disliked him. on the other hand, Roman Polanski's new version of 'Oliver Twist' is receiving some excellent reviews. I can't wait to see it.

Watched my two last DVDs for the month back to back, and they couldn't have been more different. 'Harold and Maude', which is another film I haven't seen for over twenty years, and 'Gangster No 1.'

'Harold and Maude' hasn't dated brilliantly, and the wacky comedy wasn't as amusing as I'd remembered it being, although Bud Cort and Ruth Gordon were both excellent. My wife criticised the Cat Stevens soundtrack, but I really liked it, especially the main theme song. The message of the film, which I read as commenting on the end of 60s idealism, where Maude dies and Harold begins to embrace life, still worked for me. There is also one or two fantastic scenes. One where they stand in a graveyard full of pure white headstones and the camera pulls back until they become lost amongst them. In another, Harold notices a series of numbers tattooed on Maude's arm, which I took to be a concentration camp number.He says nothing, just puts his arm around her. A great piece of acting.

'Gangster No 1.' is one of the best British films I've seen of its kind for years. Excellent performances from Paul Bettany, who I'm not familiar with, Jamie Foreman (the new Bill Sykes, apparently) and Eddie Marsan (from 'Vera Drake'). I thought David Thewlis was slightly miscast as the head villain, and I wondered if anyone else could have done the Malcolm McDowell role (perhaps James Fox, doing an older version of his 'Performance' role). Slight gripes aside, it's an excellent film with one or two quite compelling scenes (thanks to Bettany's mesmerising performance).

Hey, Who Turned Out the Lights?

Discovered a flaw in the Amazon DVD by post scheme. It's this: all the titles on my rental list are either 'short wait' or 'long wait'. Even things like 'Thriller. Series 1. Disc 1' are 'short wait', with 'Catweazle. Series 1. Disc 1' a ridiculous 'very long wait'. I am having to pick titles I wouldn't normally consider just to keep up. We watched 'Collateral' the other night which, even though Tom Cruise was surprisingly good in it, was frankly rubbish.

Lots of running, although it didn't go as well tonight.

Finished my painting, kind of, of my daughter and I reckon it's a very good first attempt. Bought some more paints and some canvas.

Running up That Hill

Out and about at the weekend. Friday night a 40th birthday party and I drunk too mauch lager. Spoke to a musician who said his friend had done a web design course five years ago and now had thirty people working for him.

Saturday wedding reception in Gloucester and took it easy. Met a writer for Mojo magazine who was writing a coffee table book called 'I Was There', about famous gigs where people had claimed 'I was there!' I said a lot of people claimed to be at legendary concerts, such as the Sex Pistols or Joy Division. 'I didn't see the Pistols', he said, 'but I saw Joy Division supporting the Buzzcocks. They blew them off the stage. I was there.'

Apparently Scott Walker is recording again. I forgot to ask him about the new Kate Bush album.

Sudoku: The Return

Became reacquainted with suduko during our holiday, buying the Times daily and then eventually a full bumper puzzle book. Even my wife became hooked, and we have progressed from easy to intermediate. I still can't do any of the Guardian's sudokus, though. Buggers!

Running Proud

Determined to succeed, I set off last night intending to do two laps of the downs. I managed it, with not too much effort, in just under an hour. The place was teeming with runners, unfortunately including several older gentlemen who overtook me (one white-bearded). Also, and I hate this, the aggressive runners who deliberately pass you so closely that you can feel the wind rushing against you. Buggers!

Received my first DVD in the post, 'The Tenant'. I hugely enjoyed seeing it again, and was amazed how familiar it was after so long (although I'd forgotten that Trelkovsky throws himself out of the window not once but twice). Fantastic acting from Mr Polanski (and some macabre humour too!)

Also listened to my first ever bootleg CD, which I bought for £3.50 (Cyprus pounds) in the Romantic Supermarket on holiday, the new Coldplay album. It plays fine, although it is too early to comment on the actual artistic quality of the songs.

Talking of music, I really can't make up my mind about Antony and the Johnsons.

Roman Remains

Fully recovered now from my holiday injuries where I banged my head on a metal beam whilst perusing some Roman ruins in Cyprus. I'm not exactly sure how it happened, and can vaguely recall falling down with blood splattered everywhere before crawling back onto the tour bus, almost fainting, and then being marched around a Turkish Delight factory. Oddly, although Turkish Delight is the last thing you'd think of after having an accident, the sugar rush seemed to do me a lot of good from the free samples.

By the way, they call it Cyprus Delight in Cyprus.

Joined the Amazon DVD mailing service, which may or may not be a good thing. They are sending me 'The Tenant' by Roman Polanski first. I saw this in about 1983 and have waited in vain ever since for it to be shown again on television.

Running Scared

Four weeks to go until the half marathon and it's not looking good. Ran last night and only managed twenty five minutes before almost collapsing. I put it down to tiredness.

The only other running I've done in the last two months is half an hour in France before almost collapsing. I put it down to the heat.

Poolside Reading

This year's holiday reading.

A Long Way Down - Nick Hornby. France. Quite frankly, a disappointment.

Bad Influence - William Sutcliffe. France. Enjoyed. I'd not heard of this writer before. My sister-in-law frowned on this book as it was from the point of view of a ten year old boy and unusual povs had been overdone. I later caught her reading a book from the point of view of a family dog.

The Line of Beauty - Alan Hollinghurst. France. This just went on and on. I enjoyed it for a while and then it went on and on. I was glad when I'd finished it.

I'll Go to Bed at Noon - Gerard Woodward. France/Bristol. I can't praise this novel more, and it turns out that this account of an alcoholic family in the 1970s is basically a true story - things like the mad brother selling the lead pipes from the bathroom to buy booze happened in the author's own family.

The Accidental Woman - Jonathan Coe. Bristol. Odd, debut novel from Mr Coe. Worth looking at.

August - Gerard Woodward. Cyprus. This one comes before I'll Go to Bed at Noon, the same family in the 1960s. Excellent stuff.

The North of England Home Service - Gordon Burn. Cyprus. Obscure offering from the Alma Cogan author. Good.

The Amateur Marriage - Anne Tyler. Cyprus. Nick Hornby's favourite author, apparently. Very good.

Brick Lane - Monica Ali. Cyprus/still reading. After several false starts I am on my way to the end now.

Sex Bomb

Back from our holiday in Cyprus in the blink of an eye. Back to work and back to school as quick as a flash.

Even though I'm tired, I'm having trouble getting to sleep now we're home. It could be the absence of the singer from the adjacent hotel, who serenaded us to sleep with such favourites as 'Hotel California' (adapted to 'Hotel Sandy Beach'), 'Yesterday', 'Living Next Door to Alice' (complete with Roy 'Chubby' Brown expletives) and 'Sex Bomb'.