THE WIRE

I have a new obsession. This new obsession is The Wire.

The Wire is a HBO TV show set in contempary Baltimore in the USA. It's a cop show. It is also the best thing I have ever seen on TV. I am not the only person to say this, countless other people have also described it thus.

It is simply perfect. The characters are almost stereotypes, there are no real 'good guys'and there is no hope. But you cannot help but sympaphise with almost everyone and care so much about every aspect of the world yo are presented with. The show is truely multi-layered and the deep pull of the show is overtaking all my other current obessesions (my leg, jihadists, buying a new bike, finding Batman things for my boy).

I've downloaded the first 3 series on bittorrent (over 3 weekends) and have been watching them on my ipod. I've been going to bed watching my ipod, travelling to the factory watching my ipod, even sat in my car eating sandwiches watching The Wire on my ipod. It's been great.

Series 5 is due to start in Feb next year.

Go here for bits of The Wire -

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=sZ2iGYwdEi8

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=QFQVSvG5x54

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=p3XQIqgAtCg

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=0Y3rVGW24wc

Our Lives..

I went to a new physio on Saturday and she has diagnosed the problem with my left leg as a 'damaged calf muscle'. Not achilles tendonitis. My achilles is apparently fine. I've spent the last 5 weeks icing my achilles and doing achilles stretches. I've been ignoring my calf. Great eh ?

But, I'm back. Kind of. Nearly.. The physio showed me calf strectches, did a load of ultrasound. And this morning I ran on the treadmill for 10 mins. I feel fine. In fact it felt 100% great to be running again. Even if it were on the bloody treadmill. She advised me to walk for ten mins every other day this week and then do 5 mins walk / 5 mins run on the treadmill every other day next week. But I literally could not stop myself. I found myself running and it was so good. I did'nt go fast. I had no incline at all. It was good. Next week I intend to get back on the road...

So. Now I'm back..

Download this http://www.mediafire.com/?1m0jx1ftxxw

It is a track by Oddessey called 'Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love'. I downloaded this track as part of a compilation and was drawn to it by the title. It's really quite special. It moves with swing and vibe. It puts me in a good mood. Music is like fuel to me sometimes.

The Concretes

I was in a pub in Bedford on Tuesday talking about karaoke with a young lady called Tammy. Tammy suggested to me that ladies are more reluctant to sing karaoke than men. We both opined why this might be the case; I suggested it was because in popular music many iconic male musical artists do not have 'perfect' singing voices, yet are successful. I gave Tammy the examples of Bob Dylan and Morrissey. I then suggested that there were not many popular female singers with anything less than 'perfect' voices. Tammy looked at me like I was a crossword and suggested the main reason, in her experience, for men to be more keen to do karaoke was, 'cos most men were dickheads'.

Here is a track by The Concretes. It's called 'A Whales Heart'. The girl singing this has not got a technically perfect voice, but she sounds great. Download it here - http://www.mediafire.com/?2tzmh9gxjmz

T

PS - ankle still wasted. Not run in 3 weeks.

Death Proof

I finally got round to watching the new Tarrantino movie 'Death Proof'. It's a good film. It's not half as good as any other Tarrantino movie. But a half good Tarrantino film is still better than pretty much anyone elses, in my humble opinion.

The film ends with the following track played over the credits. It's by April March and the song is called 'Chick Habit'. Get it here - http://www.mediafire.com/?3qt1l0petmt

T

REST

Ignore that last post about doing the 'drops' to stretch the tendon.. My ankle on Friday was worse than it had been in a week... I spent the weekend not bounding up stairs (as I do at work), walking miles or cycling like a lunatic to and from the station. I went to the gym and ignored the cross trainer and now, finally, it feels as though my leg is healing.

So. I deduce that for my achilles tendon to heal I must avoid all strenuous leg excerises. Pity the physio did'nt advise me on that 2 weeks ago. This morning my ankle feels 100% fine.. But I am not running for at least another week. I want it to heal properly..

Anyway, yesterday I went to Decathlon in Lakeside and bought loads of winter running bits, including men's running tights. I look like Spiderman... The evil Spiderman, they're black..

T